Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 58 Registration
After breakfast, Ivan wanted to go back to the construction site with Ken, but a commotion outside attracted his attention.

"The school run by the Lord is about to start. Anyone who wants to go can sign up today!"

Ivan went out to ask, and when he returned to the house he called his children to him.

"Registration is open at the school today. Let's go over and take a look."

Seeing the two about to say something, Ivan waved his hand to interrupt them: "We're just going to inquire about it first. We don't know what this free school teaches, and it may not last long. Let's make a decision after we have learned more."

Ken and Gaia looked at each other and finally nodded.

The three of them packed up in a hurry, and Gaia changed into her best dress, which was made by her mother. Although it was a little small now, at least it had no patches.

Ken and Ivan went to the river to wash themselves. They were both honest fishermen and had no idea about school. They only knew that they could study at school, but this did not prevent them from having awe in their hearts.

The tax collector could tell the amount of tax they had to pay by just making a few random strokes with charcoal. Ken had actually been envious of him for a long time. He had to count on his fingers for half a day when he went to sell a fish.

I just don’t know if the school will teach bookkeeping.

Probably not. Old Ivan once asked around and found out that the teacher who taught bookkeeping charged fifty leos for a lesson and was unwilling to teach peasants like them. Only wealthy businessmen could afford to hire teachers.

The three of them changed into their most decent clothes, combed their hair carefully, and then went out to school.

It was called a school, but in fact it was just a few large houses. Ivan took a look inside and saw only some ordinary tables and chairs. For some reason, the front wall was painted black.

It doesn't seem to be anything special.

The three of them walked around to the main entrance of the school and found a table there with several people sitting behind it.

"That's the Lord!" Gaia exclaimed softly. It was when she went to the harbor to see the strange fish and heard what the Lord said that she began to think about going to school.

Old Ivan squinted his eyes and tried to see. Apart from the lord and his steward, Ivan didn't recognize the rest of the people.

Many villagers gathered here, but there was no one in front of the table. People had a natural fear of the lord, so they just stood outside and didn't dare to come forward.

Xius was not in a hurry. He sat at the table and flipped through some books.

There was a strange square box standing next to the table. There was a round plate on top, and several needle-like objects were slowly drawing circles there. The lid of the box was opened, and there was a bunch of complicated things inside, moving slowly.

A long pole swayed rhythmically below, looking inexplicably beautiful.

"What is this? Why can it move by itself?" Gaia said unconsciously.

"A table clock displays the time. The pendulum's swing time is fixed, and the time is transmitted to the dial through the mechanical structure." Hughes flipped through the booklet and said without looking up, "Would you like to come and see it?"

Gaia was startled. She didn't expect the lord to actually reply to her. She quickly shrank back behind Old Ivan, only sticking her head out to look over here.

Xius ignored her and didn't scold her, which made Gaia bolder. She slowly shifted her gaze to the clock again, and after a while she couldn't help asking:
"Why does it move on its own?"

"Strictly speaking, it won't move on its own. It can move now because I wound it up."

"The clockwork is a force-storing structure that stores the force I give it. So, in fact, I'm the one pushing it to move."

Gaia nodded, not quite understanding.

Hughes stood up and announced to the people around him, "This clock is made in Rhineland. It's a purely mechanical structure, and it's one of the advanced courses I'll be teaching."

The lord said a lot more afterwards, but Gaia didn't remember it. She was just concentrating on looking at the clock, watching the gears inside turning precisely and orderly.

It was so beautiful. When she came to her senses, she was already standing in front of the clock, bending down and putting her face close to it.

Gaia stood up in a panic and looked around, only to find that most people had dispersed.

"This clock will be placed in the school. If you like it, you can come and see it."

Gaia blushed a little. She was fascinated by it somehow. They were just lifeless gears, but when put together, they looked so delicate and beautiful.

"I'll be teaching the Principles of Mechanics course at school. Remember to come. But you'll probably need to take some literacy classes with Miss Zoe first."

"Hello, my name is Zoe." A girl in a long skirt next to her greeted her.

"Hello." Gaia shrank back unconsciously, completely different from her usual look of climbing a tree to rob a bird's nest. She greeted timidly, and her skirt, which was a little too small for her, made her unable to raise her head.

Just as she was about to hide behind her father again, a question suddenly occurred to her. Shame and curiosity battled for a moment before she was defeated. She raised her head and asked with a piercing gaze, "My Lord, does the Principles of Mechanics class teach us how to make a clock?"

Xius was a little surprised. He saw some familiar stubbornness in the girl's eyes and he laughed softly.

"A clock is nothing more than a delicate toy."

"What I will teach you is the true mechanical principle."

Hughes tapped the clock gently.

"Gears can drive the hands, which can also drive the hammers that forge steel. Springs can provide power, and so can steam engines."

“Machines can tell time, but they can also change the world.”

He glanced at the registration list.

"Gaia, if you like machinery, try to use your hands to change this decadent and conservative world."

Gaia didn't remember how she got back home.

Even at the dinner table, she was still smiling foolishly and in a daze, not knowing what she was thinking about.

Old Ivan looked at her and sighed, then looked at Ken on the other side.

Ken was also a little absent-minded. Old Ivan knew that he was probably still thinking about the "chemistry lesson" he had heard during the day.

The lord was like the wizard in the story, who stole people's hearts with just a few words.

However, the school's arrangement still surprised old Ivan. He thought he would not be able to go to the construction site to work after attending classes, but the lord actually opened a night school.

You can go to class after work in the evening without affecting your work during the day.

We also need to recruit a special patrol team to provide security during classes at night.

Old Ivan signed up for the patrol team on the spot. Although the salary was not much, he felt more at ease knowing that he could watch his two children with his own eyes.

Well, maybe I can also go to the class.

Old Ivan glanced at the two silly children, snorted coldly, brought the plate to himself, and started eating.

(End of this chapter)