Aditya had never touched alcohol in his life, neither in his past timeline nor in his current era. As a martial artist striving to stay sharp, he believed in maintaining traditional roots and avoided any kind of sedatives, be it smoking or alcohol. Even after his reincarnation, he adhered strictly to his discipline.

  But now, out of sheer anxiety, he found himself forced to drink. The liquid burned his throat with its bitter fvor, and a strong stench assaulted his nostrils, nearly causing him to vomit. The alcohol seemed homemade and unrefined, making the experience even more nauseating. Despite this, he persevered. His sacrifice to his disciplined routine paid off as Mathew, visibly impressed, helped him fix his dislocated shoulder and ughed heartily. "Good d! Now you are a man."

  Mathew then unpacked his precious pot filled with wine and started drinking directly from it, spilling some on his ragged clothes. Aditya was curious about the brew's origins but refrained from asking, fearing he might not be able to hold back his nausea.

  After downing half of the pot, Mathew began to open up to his newfound drinking companion. "You know, I used to hate you for allowing the Portuguese to come, but the way you protected the fort, I've decided to forgive you."

  Aditya took another cautious sip from the jar, noting that the wine was beginning to take effect on Mathew. A few more drinks, and it might become easier to extract information and potentially strike a deal. However, Aditya had to be mindful of his own intake, as he was already feeling a bit dizzy from just a few sips.

  Mathew continued, "Those pesky nuisances... Anyway, it's good you let them come. Now I can have my..." He stopped mid-sentence and changed the subject. "I heard you made some weapons that can shoot as fast as cannon shells and even explode on impact?"

  Aditya nodded. "They're rockets."

  Mathew took another gulp of wine and then continued, "Yes, rockets. But how did you come up with the idea?"

  Aditya hesitated, thinking of a pusible lie.

  Sensing his discomfort, Mathew reassured him with a friendly gesture. "I know your secret. You're not Ratna's real son. Hemu has told me everything."

  Panic surged through Aditya, sweat beading on his forehead. His worst fears seemed to be coming true. But then Mathew said something unexpected, "It must have been hard to lose your master from the east."

  Hope ignited in Aditya's heart as he asked for crification, "What do you know?"

  Mathew, brimming with confidence, boasted, "I know everything. How you encountered and saved a master from a shipwreck in Bengal at young age and how Hemu took a liking to your knowledge and decided to adopt you. It's really a shame..."

  Aditya sighed in relief. He realized that the emperor had spun a pusible story to fill in the information gap. The truth known was so simple that it would sound like a lie. The emperor had to maintain his credibility and justify his adopted son's uncommon skills.

  A faint smile pyed on Aditya's lips, which he hid by taking another sip from the jar.

  Mathew's words became less meaningful as they were based on lies. However, Aditya noted Mathew's casual reference to the emperor by name, showing a level of familiarity and disregard for formal titles. This piqued his interest in the history of this seemingly mad man.

  It became clear that the emperor trusted and respected him; otherwise, he wouldn't have risked broaching this topic himself. Given that the emperor was still suspicious of him, the fact that he had still taken his side, genuinely touched Aditya's heart. He also understood the role he had to py in the future.

  'Good, now I can continue this rhetoric to avoid further questions.', he mused inwardly.

  Deciding to py along, Aditya replied, "My master was a generous man. He had journals filled with many of his technological inventions. He travelled to learn more and develop new techniques. They're more advanced than we can imagine."

  Mathew nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. I've heard that gunpowder came from them too. No wonder you're so different from others. So, the martial arts you know, they're from them as well?"

  Aditya nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for his real Indian master from his past life, who had taught him at an old academy.

  "But you still seem a bit rusty. How about joining me daily for a morning sparring session? I shall bestow upon you the opportunity to practice with an esteemed martial artist like myself," Mathew offered, taking another gulp from the pot.

  Aditya wondered, 'Huh! Rusty? Is he talking about himself? So shameless.' Still, he readily agreed, as he needed a practice partner better than a wooden dummy.

  After more random chit-chat, Mathew finally broached the important matter. "Hemu has told me to help you with a request, praising you a lot for your achievements. But I wanted to test it myself to see if you lived up to the rumors."

  Aditya put his hand inside his custom-made pocket in his kurta, which made Mathew chuckle. "You are quite an interesting d. I shall order one for myself."

  Aditya replied, "I call this a pocket. My master had one for himself." He pulled out a folded paper and handed it to Mathew. "It has a design that can enhance the production of steel. I am sure you can figure it out."

  The pot fell from Mathew's hands, and he lost the smile from his face as he stood up, furious. "Listen, d, don't ever teach a bcksmith how to do his job! Do you think our current methods are inferior? Do you have any idea how much we've improved and the reputation of the quality of steel we make?"

  Aditya felt conflicted with the sudden change in Mathew's demeanor. Moments before, this man was praising him, and now he was furious. He tried to reason, "No, elder, you misunderstand. This is one of the designs my master had in his journals, and he was never wrong."

  Mathew sighed, "I can agree that he was advanced and had a good influence on you, but our way of doing things is different. Some weeks ago, you introduced a standard system. But do you know we bcksmiths have our own? Would it make sense if I suddenly chose a foreign system, unverified, and applied it in my workshop where the whole empire depends on its needs?"

  Aditya understood his reasoning, so he decided to crify his intentions. "I'm not saying to apply it here. I'm suggesting you help me build this in my own workshop."

  Mathew rexed after understanding his intentions. He unfolded the paper and examined the detailed drawing. "The nguage is in Devanagari, so you rewrote this." After going through the contents, he took a moment to consider. "Alright, I'll consider it. But first, follow me and help me out. Let's see if you understand our technology."

  Aditya nodded, feeling a mix of relief and determination. He followed Mathew to his workshop. The forge bzed with a welcoming heat, and the sound of hammer on anvil echoed in the space.

  Mathew gestured to a complex piece of machinery that was an incomplete design of a falconet cannon. "This is one of our test innovations in which we are working. Tell me, what do you understand by this?"

  Aditya surveyed the half-completed machinery, noting its familiar features: the cylindrical barrel resembling oversized matchlock musket mounted on rge wheeled carriage. The mechanism for loading and firing was partially assembled, and he could see the primitive attempt at recoil system due to use of traditional wheels.

  Just to be sure, he asked, "May I see the design?"

  Mathew chuckled, and in the midst of the flickering torchlight, he took out the parchment filled with designs from the near by trunk and passed it over to Aditya. Aditya scanned the designs, confirming his doubts. It was indeed a falconet cannon capable of firing shells along side grapeshot and cannister shot. He also spotted fws as he knew the original design.

  He expined to Mathew how it worked, its application, its advantages, omitting the name and the ability to shoot the variety of shots to avoid suspicion.

  "This cannon," Aditya began, pointing at the diagram, "is designed to fire small, solid shot projectiles. Its main advantage lies in its mobility and retively lighter weight, making it easier to maneuver on the battlefield compared to rger artillery."

  Mathew listened intently as Aditya continued, "However, it currently cks a recoil system to manage the backward force upon firing. Due to its lightweight nature, increasing pressure on the wheels to compensate would compromise its intended mobility and agility. Additionally, the thin barrel lining raises durability concerns, particurly regarding its ability to withstand high heat and pressure for prolonged use."

  Aditya paused, ensuring Mathew was following before he continued, "Despite these challenges, if completed correctly, this falconet cannon could be a game-changer for its potential to quick repositioning and rapid support during both offensive and defensive scenarios."

  Mathew was shocked by the depth and insight of Aditya's expnations. He understood that Aditya was a hidden gem and had a good understanding.

  "So this is the falconet cannon, a 2-pounder," he murmured, touching the barrel with a tinge of regret, "the type I've always longed to create but never quite finished."

  Seeing the opportune moment, Aditya stated that an idea came to his mind and cunningly asked for permission to share it. Impressed by Aditya's knowledge, Mathew allowed him to continue.

  "To improve the recoil system," Aditya suggested, "we should focus on wheels. Traditional wheels aren't suitable here and also the barrel fitting doesn't suit with the current body . Your carriage's bed system for supporting the cannon is commendable, but it may not suffice. We should refine the trunnion structure to slim them down and ensure a snug fit with the cannon. Additionally, reducing the wheel size could assist in managing recoil, especially if combined with the current bed and cheek system. This approach would better absorb the impact and stabilize the cannon after each shot."

  Matthew's eyes sparkled with hope, prompting Aditya to continue. "Also, consider using steel for the barrel instead of traditional materials?"

  Mathew was taken aback by the suggestion. "Steel? We've primarily used iron and bronze. Steel is still a bit..."

  Aditya nodded knowingly. "Yes, steel's durability can enhance the lifespan of the cannon and improve its battlefield effectiveness, despite being slightly denser."

  Even though sceptical Mathew agreed as he felt impressed by his knowledge, "Alright, d! I'm impressed. I'm willing to set up a separate production line for steel based on your method and see how it performs."

  Aditya hesitated slightly, clearing his throat. "I would still suggest caution, let's first try it out in my workshop. Then we can consider integrating it into your cannon production and explore other recommendations, if you agree?"

  Mathew burst into ughter, his voice echoing in the workshop. "You sly child! You want to monopolize production. Don't pretend otherwise; you're fine with sharing other recommendations, but you want this one specifically in your workshop?"

  Aditya cursed his slight slip-up but opted for honesty to maintain trust. "It's not just about profits; this innovation is critical, and there could be economic repercussions if we flood the market with steel. Also, I have a proposal."

  Mathew's interest was piqued as he considered the implications. Aditya continued, "We ck market access, but you have the connections. Our workshop will supply the steel, and I propose a 40% discount based on the market price."

  Mathew chuckled, intrigued by Aditya's confidence. "You seem sure it'll work and be cost-effective."

  After a moment of silence from Aditya, Mathew relented. "Alright, let's give it a try. But I'll need more recommendations from you in return."

  With that settled, they began outlining and discussing improvements in the Bessemer process and other designs in the workshop.

  Additionally, he suggested sharing designs tailored for swivel guns, which he had seen while dusting off, intended for use on camel backs inspired by zamburaks of 18th century.

  With these innovations, they pnted the seeds of a new era in industrialization and warfare that would change the Indian subcontinent.