With the project already outlined, Kael began walking alongside his grandfather to show him his first proposals for modernization.

  As he walked with his grandfather and Redda, they passed in front of the guest room, where a pair of large ears clearly heard about the young lord’s bet. When they reached the kitchen, Kael was preparing to present the first part of what he had prepared… and then he noticed the guests waiting there.

  —Hey! What are you doing here?! —Kael exclaimed—. I’m talking business with my grandfather!!!

  Everyone at once —young lords, guardians, and guests— shouted:

  —NOOO, WE WANT TO SEE!!!

  —That’s right! We have the right to see it! —said Laret—. Especially me, after you had me filling that rooftop tank all day with my water magic two days ago.

  —Huff, huff! —added Ken—. After running like a condemned man, I had to see this, my lord. I have the right too, since I ended up completely exhausted filling that thing with water!

  —You’re an animal, you don’t have rights —Holley replied without even looking at him.

  —Hey! —Ken protested.

  —Alright, alright, silence —Garbard intervened with a firm voice—. I want my grandson to present his project.

  The silence was immediate and absolute.

  Kael stepped forward in the kitchen and removed the cloth covering a section of it.

  He took a step forward and spread his arms theatrically.

  —Behold… the first sink created by the Sungley Corporation.

  —And soon, if everything goes well, it will be in every home in this city.

  Everyone stared at the wooden counter. In the center there was a deep metal basin, and beneath it two perfectly curved copper pipes: one for input and one for output.

  Jacki and Lasan approached, intrigued.

  —This sink is not just a container… —Kael continued—. It’s a complete system. And it works thanks to this.

  He pointed to a small metal lever attached to the copper pipe.

  —Jacki, move that lever.

  Jacki obeyed. As soon as she turned the piece, a hollow sound was heard, like air moving inside the pipe… and a stream of clean water immediately fell into the metal basin.

  The cooks jumped back in surprise.

  —This is called a shutoff valve —Kael explained—.

  Inside, it has a copper cylinder with a hole that lines up with the pipe.

  When you turn the lever, that hole aligns… and the water can pass.

  When you turn it back, the cylinder closes and blocks the flow.

  Kael carefully took the lever and moved it slowly, showing the mechanism.

  —There’s no magic here. It’s pure mechanics.

  A hole that opens… a hole that closes.

  But combined with the elevated rooftop tank, gravity pushes the water down with force.

  That’s why it comes out like this… as if it were alive.

  The stream kept flowing with surprising pressure.

  Jacki was completely mesmerized.

  —My lord… —she murmured—. This will save us hours of work.

  —Exactly —Kael replied—. Less time carrying buckets. Less dirt. More hygiene.

  Kael then pointed to an additional structure in the piping system.

  Just before reaching the sink, a section of copper was bent into multiple curves, forming a small metallic zigzag.

  —Now… this part is going to be loved by Jacki and Redda during winter.

  Everyone tilted their heads, staring at the strange piece.

  Kael gestured.

  —Lasan, could you come here for a moment?

  —Of course, young lord —the fire mage replied, stepping forward—. What should I do?

  —Just create a moderate flame here, right under the curved section.

  Lasan activated his magic. A warm, stable, controlled flame began heating the copper coil.

  —As you can see —Kael said theatrically—, my sensual and feminine model Lasan is applying direct heat to the coil.

  —Young lord! I’m a man! Don’t call me that! —Lasan protested, blushing.

  —Hey! —Ken shouted from behind—. Your model looks pretty cute, young lord!

  Several people burst into laughter.

  Kael sighed, but continued without losing his rhythm.

  —Jacki, open the valve again, please.

  Jacki obeyed. As soon as she turned the lever, a stream of water shot out… this time accompanied by a faint mist.

  Jacki stepped back in surprise.

  —By the heavens! —she exclaimed—. The water is hot! Very hot!

  Kael, satisfied, raised one finger.

  —The explanation is simple.

  Copper is a metal that transfers heat faster than any other material in this house.

  If we make the water pass through a curved pipe and heat it with fire… the pipe heats up, and so does the water.

  Lasan put out the flame, still a bit embarrassed by the earlier comment.

  —And as you can see —Kael continued—, thanks to the sensual and masculine model Jacki, the water comes out ready for washing, cooking, or bathing.

  —Young lord! I’m not a man! —Jacki replied, completely confused.

  Everyone burst into laughter. Kael just muttered, resigned:

  —Please… don’t complain. You’ll be the first ones to enjoy my inventions. The point is that… we now have hot water!

  Jacki, excited by the invention, grabbed the young lord without warning.

  She hugged him around the neck and began showering him with exaggerated kisses.

  —The young lord worked so hard to help us! Thank you, thank you! —she exclaimed—. SMOCH, SMOCH! (>*3*)>

  —Hey, Jacki! Don’t take advantage! —Kael protested, trapped.

  Everyone laughed in satisfaction as Kael explained how the water drained from the sink into a duct that connected directly to the new sewer system.

  —Boy —Garbard commented—, you did an excellent job. The maids are going to love this… in every sense.

  —Perfect —Kael replied—. Because there’s still more!

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Come to the main bathroom.

  Immediately, everyone ran like curious children, crowding around the entrance of the bathroom that had been closed for days. Kael lifted a cloth covering a large section and revealed two new structures.

  A perforated copper tower…

  and a huge, deep tub.

  —I present to you… the shower!

  —And… the pervert tub!

  Everyone’s faces twisted in confusion.

  —The… what? —Holley asked, incredulous.

  —Relax, I’ll explain —Kael replied—.

  This —he pointed at the perforated tower— is the shower. It’s for quick baths. You just stand under it, open this hot water valve and this cold water valve, and adjust the temperature however you want.

  Jacki touched one of the small holes curiously.

  —As you can see —Kael continued—, two pipes come in here.

  The first is the same as in the kitchen: the pipe that passes through the heated section.

  The second is a normal pipe.

  Everyone watched more closely.

  —That means this shower has hot water… and cold water.

  The hot water comes from this curved copper section, which you can heat with embers, hot ashes, or even fire magic.

  The cold water comes straight down from the rooftop tank without passing through the heater.

  Kael opened both valves to demonstrate.

  —If the water comes out too hot, you just open the cold water valve a bit more.

  And if it’s too cold, you open the hot water valve more.

  That way you can adjust the temperature however you want… just like mixing two rivers that join into one.

  Everyone was completely fascinated.

  —Now Ken won’t have any excuses not to bathe! —Holley commented with a cruel smile.

  —Hey you! —Ken protested immediately.

  Garbard nodded, clearly pleased.

  —And that other one… is it for the same thing? —he asked, pointing at the tub.

  —The pervert tub is for long, relaxing baths —Kael explained—.

  When you’re completely worn out after training… this is paradise.

  Garbard frowned.

  —And why such a… peculiar name? Do people arrive dirty like pervert?

  —No! —Kael replied immediately—. It’s because mom and dad, or the queen and the king… or the teacher and Uncle Galen… or Liora and Uncle Lucian… are definitely going to use it to bathe together and kiss under the water.

  There was absolute silence…

  and then everyone burst into laughter.

  A horde of adults fell on Kael, giving him head knocks for being insolent.

  When they finally let him go, Garbard regained his serious tone.

  —This is impressive, Kael —he said firmly—. The nobles will fight to have one.

  Kael stood up, brushing off his hair and straightening himself as best he could.

  —Not the nobles! —he exclaimed—. Everyone!

  The silence was immediate. No one expected that answer.

  —Listen —Kael continued—. If we want to increase life expectancy, avoid diseases, and improve the quality of life of the kingdom… everyone needs access to hygiene.

  If necessary, we’ll build public baths.

  And along with water… we have the most important weapon against germs.

  Kael opened his dimensional cube and took out a beige, aromatic bar.

  —This is… soap.

  Our main ally against germs.

  Everyone held their breath as they looked at the object in Kael’s hand.

  —Many of you are wondering how I made this… —he continued—.

  I’ll show you the process.

  .

  ..

  …

  ….

  Soon, they returned to the kitchen.

  Kael stood in front of the counter and began to explain step by step, as if he were dictating a sacred recipe.

  —First… melt the fat.

  He lit a burner and placed a metal container on top. The fat slowly melted until it became completely liquid and clear.

  —Second… prepare the lye.

  Kael took a container of fine ash, mixed it with hot water, and then filtered it patiently.

  —This creates a strong water that breaks down dirt —he explained—. That’s lye.

  Some of those present swallowed nervously as they listened.

  —Third… mix both.

  Kael carefully poured the lye into the hot fat, stirring without stopping.

  —This is where scientific magic happens —he continued—.

  The fat and the ash transform… they become something new.

  The mixture slowly began to thicken.

  —Fourth… add perfume and plants.

  Kael added the essential oil he had extracted from Moonlight flowers.

  —This doesn’t just clean —he said—. It also smells very good.

  He added petals and dried herbs, which floated in the thick mixture.

  —Fifth… add Nabu resin.

  This helps harden the bar and makes it last for weeks without falling apart.

  —And sixth… mold it and let it dry.

  Kael poured the mixture into a wooden box and let it rest.

  —Soap is born when you mix fat with ash —he explained—.

  The fat sticks to dirt…

  The ash separates it from the skin…

  And together they turn into a new substance that pulls away grime and kills germs.

  Kael looked around at everyone.

  —If everyone uses this…

  If they wash their hands after working, after cooking, and after using the bathroom…

  we will save thousands of lives without using magic.

  The spectators passed the soap bar around one by one, touching it and smelling it with curiosity.

  After that, Kael showed them how to use it and when to use it: when bathing or simply when they needed to wash their hands.

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  After that great presentation, Garbard looked visibly pleased.

  —These advances are very good —he said—. And according to the report Redda prepared, all the details about labor, materials, and personnel required to produce all of this are included…

  —For the service these products provide, the costs are extremely low.

  Kael had a strange expression, as if there was still something more he wanted to say.

  —What is it, boy? —Garbard asked—. Is there something else you want to say?

  —There was something else I wanted to show… —Kael replied—, but those old perverts over there hit me, so I’ll keep it to myself…

  The ears of all the women present perked up at the same time. Several of them shamelessly approached Kael.

  —Tell me —Caria said—. Is there anything this old pervert doesn’t deserve?

  —Hiding information from your queen is considered treason —Isadora added with a dangerous smile.

  Kael looked at his grandfather, searching for support.

  —See, Grandpa? They’re totally selfish!

  Freya grabbed him by the arm with a sweet smile… far too sweet.

  —Well, since the dwarf feels so powerful, I think all of us should bring him down a bit and see if that makes him reveal what he mentioned.

  —WAIT, DON’T—!

  Smoch, smoch, smoch (>*3*)> (>*3*)> (>*3*)> (>*3*)> (>*3*)> (>*3*)> (>*3*)>

  Kael could only scream and suffer while a group of men watched him with a mix of pity and resignation.

  —AAAAA! Alright, alright! —he shouted—. I’ll show it already!!!

  Kael pulled two products out of his dimensional cube.

  —These are shampoo and conditioner.

  Kael held up the bottles with the attitude of a professional salesman.

  —This clear one is shampoo.

  And this creamier one is conditioner.

  Both are for washing and caring for hair… and believe me, they work much better than just water and herbs.

  The women almost jumped on him. Caria was already breathing like a sick dragon.

  —Explain it —she ordered—. Now.

  Kael sighed, resigned.

  —The shampoo cleans the scalp —he explained—.

  I made it by mixing:

  An infusion of calming herbs, to prevent irritation.

  Foam from a special plant, soapwort, which produces natural bubbles.

  A bit of fine ash to dissolve grease.

  Honey, which softens the hair.

  And essential oils magically extracted from the Moonlight flower, for fragrance.

  Everyone listened with absolute seriousness.

  The women looked like they were about to faint.

  —And the conditioner is used after the shampoo —he continued—.

  You let it sit for a moment… and it leaves the hair soft and shiny.

  —I made that one with vegetable butter, refined oil, a bit of the ointment you already know, herbal water… and a few drops of essential oil.

  Kael smiled proudly.

  —I said it before and I’ll say it again:

  this leaves your hair softer than the belly of a freshly bathed cat.

  Freya opened her eyes wide.

  —And… and this really works?

  Kael smiled like a mischievous child.

  —Here, try a sample.

  Kael handed some of the content to Jacki.

  She rubbed her hands together curiously and smelled it carefully. Then, without thinking too much, she took some water, wet her hair, and applied the shampoo first.

  She massaged her scalp with her fingers… and within seconds, a soft, fragrant foam began to form.

  —It’s… IT’S PERFECT!! —she exclaimed—.

  It smells so good I want to eat my own hair!

  Everyone burst into laughter.

  Jacki rinsed, then applied the conditioner. When she ran her fingers through her hair, it became incredibly soft, falling with a shine it had never had before.

  It didn’t even take a second.

  The four women attacked.

  —How many do you have? —Caria asked, far too close—.

  Can I use it every day?

  Will it make me look younger?

  —Can it be mass-produced for the palace? —Isadora added—.

  And for the nobility?

  —My child… —Liora said with a dangerous voice—. Do you want a new cloak? Or dessert? Or my entire life?

  —Bring that here —Freya ordered—. I want to try it right now.

  Kael backed away in panic.

  —NO, NO, NO! —he shouted—. Give me space! If you’re going to try it, don’t do it on top of me!

  Kael raised his hand forcefully to impose silence.

  —Listen, everyone.

  These products don’t just smell good.

  They are for real hygiene.

  The atmosphere calmed a bit.

  —If all servants and villagers can wash their hair with this… —he continued—, we’ll avoid lice, scalp infections, dandruff, parasites…

  Kael took a deep breath.

  —This will help people live healthier lives.

  Garbard nodded, resting a hand on his chin.

  —So… this is also part of your great sanitary plan.

  —Exactly —Kael replied—.

  Shampoo, conditioner, soap… showers… running water… everything is connected.

  If we improve hygiene, we improve life.

  It’s that simple.

  —Added to the sewer and toilet plan —he added—, we’ll have better control over any kind of infection, disease, plague, or parasite that exists.

  The most important women in the room looked at each other…

  and immediately grabbed the soap, shampoo, and conditioner.

  —The tub works, right? —they asked almost in unison.

  —Well, yes… —Kael replied—. You just have to do what I said and it will fill up.

  In the blink of an eye, all the great ladies rushed toward the bathroom with the products in hand, leaving all the men with the same expression:

  What the hell just happened here?

  Kael crossed his arms, still touching the bumps on his head.

  —I swear I’ll charge an absurd amount of money so they suffer when buying them…

  —Only them.

  Laret, Rowan, and Galen looked at him with absolute seriousness.

  —For them it has to be free —the three of them said at the same time—.

  Or the ones who will suffer… will be us.

  Kael looked at them with a wicked smile.

  —Then suffer, you old perverts.

  —I’ll ask for asylum in the demon kingdom… they won’t come looking for me there.

  After that, Kael finished fixing himself as best he could, covering what little of his head he had left between the missing bumps, while female chaos echoed from the bathroom.