Chương 105: Chapter 2.42: So it Begins

Brutus stared at Favius, and the boy felt the Magnicultor's aura closing in, intensifying. The flame of the torch suddenly felt insignificant under the violent presence. The shadows spread, and the reflections on the pale stalactites grew distant like stars. Favius swallowed and looked at Brutus.

"Can you… Can you please not?" He swallowed. A chagrined expression spread over Brutus's face, and he eased up on the aura. The torch's flames instantly doubled in size.

"Sorry. I was just getting excited by some ideas." Favius stared at Brutus. Should I be worried or happy that he's getting excited about the things I told him? This was only an offhand comment, but he seems to have thought about it a lot. Favius nodded.

"Yes, they are very similar to electricity on Earth. Of course…" Favius shrugged while glancing at Brutus's shadow, which seemed somehow darker, somehow more menacing than any other shadow in the cave.

"I cannot be certain that they are like electricity on Earth." Brutus scrunched up his nose.

"If you can't be certain, what would be required for you to be certain?" Favius let out a long-suffering breath.

"A bunch of precision equipment. It'll likely still be several cycles of seasons until my experimental workshop can produce that. And even then…" He narrowed his eyes.

"Generators, lodestones, and experimental setups to work with cultivation." He tilted his head to the side.

"Never mind that. With how cultivation works, getting the opportunities for measurements would require a mobile setup." Favius shook his head.

"I'll make it a project. But for me to have reliable data? Probably thirty cycles." Brutus frowned.

"Let me rephrase that, boy. Are you confident enough in the comparison to electricity that you believe the principles might apply?" Favius didn't have to think long.

"It seems like the most reasonable starting hypothesis."

"Good, good," murmured Brutus.

"So tell me." Again the pressure in the room intensified and the light dimmed. Favius sniffed, but this time Brutus did not react. He merely continued with his question.

"How exactly did your old world control electricity? You mentioned it was foundational to your machines." Favius raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but chuckle despite the heaviness.

"Control electricity?" He sniffed.

"You just put wires where you need it and then use other components like…" He gestured.

"Resistors, actuators, and so on to manipulate it and turn it into something useful." Brutus stroked his beard and nodded. Five drops of water fell with almost painful loudness in quick succession before the cultivator continued.

"So if I wanted to store electricity, all I would require would be a lot of metal wires." Favius shook his head.

"No, no, no. First of all, metal is not necessary. You just need something conductive." Brutus opened his mouth, but Favius anticipated the question.

"Most metals are conductive, but not all conductors are metals." Brutus nodded, and Favius raised a second finger.

"And as for storing electricity, wires move it. Storing electricity itself is more complicated, more fickle." Favius smiled as he continued. Feels good to talk about this. Something where I'm certain, where I know what I'm saying. Where there isn't anything political or stupid going on in the background.

"What you need to understand, Brutus, is that unlike molecules or even atomi, electricity is made up of particles." He paused for a moment. Well, that translates cleanly. Interesting.

"Remember our discussion about acids and bases?" Brutus nodded, and Favius snapped his fingers.

"I talked about positive and negative charges there. Well, electrons, the particles of electricity, are…" He paused and considered.

"Fundamental incarnations of negative charge." Probably the best explanation without actually getting into more fundamental particle physics. Brutus nodded.

"So if those electrons are like atomi, how can they move through solid metal wires?" Favius smiled.

"Well, this is really more complicated than I'm explaining. But to keep things simple…" And by simple, I mean avoiding wave-particle dualism.

"While electrons can go through a metal structure made of atomi, simply because they are much smaller, they prefer to sit on the surface of metal." Brutus ran a finger over the gleaming arcane steel of his axe and frowned.

"If they can pass through, why do they prefer the surface?"

"Well…" Favius reached into one of his belt pouches and took out two lodestone splinters. He turned them around until he had identified their respective north and south poles.

"It's fundamentally similar to how lodestones behave. You know that they attract each other in certain directions while repelling each other in others, right?" Brutus hummed in agreement and leaned forward, his axe casually glinting in the light of the flame between them.

"Well, an electron is like a lodestone, but it only has a negative pole. Thus all electrons repel all other electrons." Brutus narrowed his eyes before clicking his tongue. He flicked a finger against the blade of his axe.

"So you are saying that electrons gather on the surface because that is the place where they are furthest away from any other electrons." Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The cultivator frowned.

"But wouldn't an even distribution through the metal— No, no." He shook his head, and Favius nodded eagerly.

"Indeed. Even if the charge on the surface rises, as long as it is even, any electron will still prefer to sit in the dense layer on the surface because it is still, on average, the position furthest away from all the other electrons."

"They seek to avoid crowding, and through that they crowd themselves. Fascinating." Brutus hummed, and three more drops of water fell before he caressed the blade of his axe.

"So instead of using wires to store a large amount of electricity, I would need what? A metal plate?" Favius grinned.

"Two of them, actually, separated by an insulator. It's called a capacitor." He frowned at the word. The translation works, but the term literally translates to something closer to reservoir in English. He shrugged. Well, it's only my aesthetics getting offended by imperfect translations. Brutus stared at Favius.

"Why two plates? And why is such an insulator needed?" Favius sniffed.

"I could explain that, but we are unlikely to finish that particular explanation in detail before we are to meet with my father."

"So give me the practical simplification." Favius smiled.

"The way electrons interact across the space between the metal plates matters a lot. In a way, it is the true reservoir in which the energy is stored." Brutus hummed as Favius continued.

"A common trick with capacitors is to take a conductive metal plate and an insulator which are flat and thin for maximum surface area, and then simply roll them up." He picked up pieces of his robes and differently colored under-robes and held the red and orange fabrics up. He fussed about with his clothing until he held a roll of red and orange. Brutus nodded, his look betraying that his thoughts were clearly elsewhere.

"What's an insulator?"

"Anything that doesn't conduct electrons."

"Yes?" Brutus questioned, the side of his eye twitching. Favius replied with an awkward chuckle.

"Well, a lot of things can work. Air, ceramics, fabrics…" Brutus nodded, and Favius closed his eyes. A moment later, Favius felt the weight of the man's aura change in an odd way. Again the shadows in the cave flickered, and the fire of the torch reacted. Brutus opened his eyes, his expression still uncertain, and Favius let out a breath.

"Maybe think of it this way. A wire is like a water pipe, and a capacitor in the water analogy would be a reservoir. Two tanks separated by a thin wall, which is the insulator. One full of water, the other lacking water. The analogy isn't perfect, but if we were to open the pipe, the water would equalize." Brutus nodded.

"So the capacitor, in a way, does not only hold water or electrons, but also power."

"No," he murmured and looked at the stalactite-adorned ceiling.

"Potential. It stores potential." Favius snapped his fingers.

"Exactly." Now Favius leaned forward with a grin.

"Don't keep me in the dark. What do you plan to do?" Brutus tilted his head to the side before he smirked. In an instant, the aura dropped and the assured privacy was gone. The cultivator stood up and grinned at Favius.

"No, Favius. I think it would be funnier if I don't do that." Favius rolled his eyes and groaned. Can't wait until I can project my own aura for privacy. He looked at the cultivator, who had picked up the torch and begun walking towards the exit. I cannot safely continue this conversation and the fucker knows that… He glared at the man's broad back as he followed him outside the cave.

"And also, we need to be on time to make all the proper preparations." Soon they were back at the estate. Favius scratched at his clean and dry clothing and picked up a piece of the hardened bread that had become common fare after the supplies of gold grain had begun to deteriorate before the green-grain harvest drew close. He looked around the table at familiar faces. Marcus, Serran, Hefnus, and Antonius sat at the table alongside his inner circle. The atmosphere was relaxed.

Everyone was chatting and snacking away, and the warm afternoon sun flooded through the flowering garden into the inner courtyard. Favius smiled at the sea rose in the pond. Finally, Centurii Hefnus, wearing casual armor just like Brutus, cleared his throat.

"If I may, Dominus," he began. Marcus nodded. The Centurii's serious gaze ran over everyone in the room. Urania and Caliga were serious and giddy respectively, while the remaining adults appeared mostly bored.

"All the preliminary preparations have been made. We've identified some targets, yet for now…" He gestured.

"We've reached the point where evidence is needed." Caliga sniffed.

"Just arrest anyone suspicious and simply interrogate them. This still feels superfluous." Marcus settled a stern gaze on his daughter.

"Caliga. There is a time for haste and decisiveness, yet there is also a time for preparation and consideration. And I prefer to teach you the thorough and proper way of annihilating your enemies rather than engaging in half measures to hurry ahead with such an important task." Caliga's eyes flicked to Brutus, but the Magnicultor shook his head.

"Very well," continued the Centurii, pointing at a wax tablet.

"As discussed, the fire will happen in the middle of the night, when everyone is sleeping." Marcus cleared his throat and looked at Serran.

"Have you settled which doors are to be opened and closed? After all, I do not want to renovate any part of the estate that did not require renovation anyway." The Majordomo inclined his head.

"Indeed, Dominus. I have prepared instructions and will ensure the smoke shall not contaminate anything important." Favius suppressed a sniff. Unbelievable that while we are putting on a show to deceive potential spies and traitors, he is thinking about how to do it in a way that justifies renovations he wants anyway. He snorted. Well, maybe it's an aristocrat thing or maybe any homeowner would think like this. Not that I got to that point in life on Earth.

The discussion turned to details, and Favius only half listened. Serran and Hefnus went over the assignment of squads of trusted guards and which sections of the house and guest quarters they would be searching for correspondence and other documents. And all of this is only the first part of the more practical intelligence-gathering operation. After all, it's only retainers and guests who stay in the main estate. But those will get searched because Serran is planning renovations in their buildings.

Still, all of this will affect… His lips curled up in disgust at the memory of the young woman's attempts to charm him into revealing secrets. Mostly Hesnia's people, I hope. Towards the end, Brutus cleared his throat.

"While the children will not be involved directly in the house, as discussed, with the smoke as a distraction…" He nodded at Marcus and Favius.

"I took the liberty of making plans with your tutor." He raised a hand.

"Without revealing anything vital. And she believes it is a good opportunity for training." Caliga widened her eyes.

"Training for all of us?" He nodded.

"Indeed. After all, it is not only owls who need to know how to observe the happenings of the night."

"Yes!" Caliga pumped her fist in the air, and Urania hugged her.

"It's going to be fun to have you along. Sirrana is really interesting when she trains us." Well, I'm glad that my younger sister considers psychedelics to be merely interesting. Favius shook his head. Soon the meeting dissolved as everyone went to their respective posts. Favius's inner circle met with Sirrana in one of the estate's side buildings, with a good view of two sides of the main estate. The girls were busily gossiping, and even Favius grew excited. A genuine stakeout with…

Well, I guess an assassin-saboteur is close enough to a special agent. This feels like stuff from a spy novel. Brutus pretty quickly cracked down on their enthusiasm with reminders of discipline. The daylight faded into the darkness of the summer night with meditation and lodestone exercises. Long after the last light had faded, Favius heard Sirrana step up to the sandclock, and he noted that the gentle rushing of the sand that marked the half hour had again stopped.

It's kinda hilarious how much Hefnus and Sirrana love the hourglasses. Well, coordinating independent action has been a problem for militaries since forever.

"Go outside," whispered the Speculatorii.

"Yes," replied Caliga, shifting giddily, and Favius smiled, stretched, and followed. The estate was a magnificent sight under the light of all four moons. Messenger had nearly reached the Rhexar Mountains in the East. It's gonna be gone in about ten minutes. All-Father and Daughter showed almost all and less than a quarter of their faces respectively. In the distance, oddly off the plane of the ecliptic, there was a pale, glittering light, not quite a star and only occasionally visible. Favius smiled.

Nyx or colloquially Chaos, the moon associated with the eighth goddess we do not politely speak of. He snorted. The one because of whom Cassian thought me introducing a zero into their number system would be heresy. I wonder how the local priests are reacting to the copies of my books that Marcus sent out… While he studied the magnificently starry sky, a shout erupted from the estate.

"Fire! Fire!"