Michael always had a lot of projects in mind ever since he arrived in this desert. However, the lack of materials he had available always prevented him from bringing these ideas out into the real world.
But now, he had Damascus steel, a material known for its strength, durability, and flexibility.
According to the dwarven smiths he consulted, Damascus steel could be fashioned into an extremely thin or small piece without destroying its integrity.
This was perfect for creating complex and intricate projects that could only be done in his previous life through large, complex machinery.
For example, it would completely improve the current design of the automobile, allowing it to become a lot faster and more durable without adding a lot of weight to the vehicle.
Not only that, but the main engine itself could finally be upgraded!
Michael's current iteration of the engine was still bulky and unrefined compared to the automobiles he had in his previous life. But now, Damascus Steel allowed him to finally reach the standards of modern cars, while also improving it by a tiny bit.
After all, Damascus steel was a much better material than the metals they had in his previous world, meaning that he could even surpass those supercars in the future.
Of course, it would take a little bit more time before that was possible. However, there was one thing he could achieve right now…
He looked down at his shadow, communicating with his clone attached to Castelle's shadow.
"Castelle, can you hear me?" Michael asked.
"Yes, Young Master. I can hear you just fine," the shadow at his feet replied, vibrating to match the sound of Castelle's voice.
With the cloning ability he learned from Fudge, Michael was able to communicate with Castelle even from a very long distance, replicating a radio or a telephone from his previous world.
"There's been a change in plans. We've been making preparations for selling concrete, right?"
"Yes," Castelle replied. "The road connecting the Parched Lands and the Vanderbilt estate has finally been finished. This means that we can finally distribute concrete to the public market!"
Michael nodded. "But that's not all we're going to do."
"Young Master? Are you planning some kind of market-breaking scheme again?"
Castelle had known Michael for a long time, and even if she couldn't see his face, she knew that there was a playful yet devious smile on his face right now.
"I want to start selling automobiles!"
Castelle was so surprised that she almost fell out of her chair. "Really, Young Master? You're finally going to bring out the automobile to the general public?!"
She knew firsthand how revolutionary the automobile had been for their company alone. It was able to transport their inventory at the fastest pace, turning a month-long delivery into just one week!
She could only imagine how much this would change the landscape of commerce in this country. She reckoned that there would be a lot of companies wanting to buy multiples for their businesses to boost sales by at least half!
They would be able to sell this automobile at any price they wanted, even making it one of the most expensive pieces of craft in the world, and people would still buy it.
This would entice both the professional and general public, making their everyday travel with an automobile instead of a carriage.
"Young Master, isn't it better if we wait a couple more months to a year before we sell the automobile? We should let the concrete become more widely used before we announce this new machine," Castelle argued.
But Michael knew that his way was better.
"No, we need to sell the automobile and the concrete at the same time—"
And before he could even finish his sentence, Castelle's skill [Golden Nose] made her realize the potential of this idea.
"I see, Young Master! If we show off how easily concrete could be used to construct roads, then we can package the two of them together! They need to construct flat roads for the cars to truly show their worth. So, they would want to buy both concrete and automobiles at the same time!"
She began to see the possibilities of this business and all the money that they would rake in. But perhaps the best thing they would earn was another newsworthy story about Reborn's new revolutionary invention!
This would give them enough fame to break through to the Queens region!
"I'll work on this project, Young Master! We'll have everything prepared by the time you finish the production of both products," Castelle said, excitement spilling out of tone.
Michael noticed her eagerness and had to calm her down. She was already overworked from her current workload. This would push her over the edge.
"This is a big job. And you're already handling a lot of stuff in the company. Don't worry, I'll be sending you some talented HobMankeys to help in the company."
Michael found quite a few HobMankeys with talents and skills related to business. Although they weren't quite as good as Castelle, they were still talented enough to be able to lift a lot of burden from her shoulders.
"Thank you, Young Master. I'll look forward to my recruits," she said, heaving a sigh of relief.
Michael bid goodbye and cut off his communication with Castelle.
He needed to plan for the business venture.
Concrete was easy to make, but automobiles were a completely different breed.
Thankfully, there were currently a lot of dwarves in the village who specialized in metallurgy. He just had to ask them for help.
…
…
…
Meanwhile, in the Capitol of the Dwarven Kingdom, located at the base of a volcanic mountain, the Dwarven King sat on his throne and massaged the creases on his forehead.
"What is the problem now?" he asked his advisors.
The meek dwarves kneeling on the red carpet looked up at their King and said, "There's been a suspiciously low amount of ale being purchased, sir."
The King froze for a second and faced his advisors with a serious look. "Dwarves are not purchasing ale? That is suspicious…"
They were known for having ale in their blood, so this news was cause for concern.
"Have you found out why?" he asked.
His advisors nodded their heads and signaled for a servant to bring out a single bottle of Reborn Beer.
"From what we observed, the dwarves seem to be addicted to this new beverage called beer," they explained.
The King, curious as to how something could be better than ale, decided to pop the top open and drink it himself.
And as soon as he did, his eyes widened and his pupils dilated.
His reaction wasn't much different from any other dwarf that drank their first beer.
He, too, fell in love at first sip.