The makeshift shipyard by the Chishui River was full of people. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Everybody knew that a strange ship was being built in this wooden shed, the shell of which resembled a huge bathtub, made of grey cement - and that, once solidified, was no different from a stone, and could not be seen except by a pop in the water.

The craftsmen who came to work here aptly named it: the Bath Boat.

Today is the day the first two prototypes are launched.

The crowd of onlookers was roughly divided into two groups: the new residents of the border towns, who were curious or incredulous about the news, and who came with skepticism to see the news, including fishermen and sailors from the east and south. On the other hand, there are the local residents, who have long been accustomed to the miracles performed by His Highness, and have also heard of the former "Town Number", and gather here in the light snow, just to meet His Royal Highness the prince they worship.

Kakusim is the former.

When His Highness posted the news and the new recruitment order on the notice board in the square, he said that he would come here anyway. Vader had no choice but to ask Master Carter for a leave of absence, and accompany him - the place was unfamiliar, and the snow was so heavy that he really didn't feel at ease that the other party would run alone to the place where the crowd gathered, and if he was accidentally pushed and fell, it would be almost an incurable injury to the old man.

"You underestimate me too much, child," the old man waved his hand to signal that he did not have to follow him, "I have experienced great winds and waves, and although I am old, my body is not much worse than yours. ”

"Yes," Vader said disapprovingly, "I've already taken my leave anyway, and it's too late for you to say anything." I just don't understand, why do you have to come and see this thing launched? Isn't it just a ship?"

"But you said it was made of gray stone," Kakusim shook his head, "and a stone the size of a bathtub can float on the water these days?"

Blame yourself for talking too much, Vader thought to himself, and somehow talked to him about the announcement in the square, "Maybe Your Highness is just exaggerating, and a wooden ship is probably made of that cement part, right?"

"Then it is even more unlikely," insisted the old man, "think about when this wooden shed was erected?"

"It seems to be...... More than a month ago. ”

"That's right, before you were recruited as a police officer, it was still an empty space when we moved into the inner part of the town!" his beard trembled, "It took a month to build a shed, so doesn't it take your Highness only half a month to build the first ship?"

"Uh, what's wrong?" Vader wondered.

"Of course not!" cried Kakusim, "in the name of the god of the sea! I have never seen a ship that can be built in half a month, regardless of size - as long as it is a sailing ship, it takes more than a month to process the ribs, and it needs to wait for the wood to dry completely before it is bent with steam, a process that is extremely cumbersome and impossible to complete in a short time. ”

Vader was surprised, "What do you do about shipbuilding...... So familiar?"

"I used to be a captain, child," the old man exhaled, "and in my youth, I used to carry large quantities of cargo through the areas of Seabreeze County and Blue Water Harbor, and also to the Kingdom of Dawn and the Fiordland Islands. Later, because of some things...... It's only come to this point. ”

"You've never told me that before. His eyes widened.

"You've never asked, kid. Kakusim shrugged.

"Well," Vader shifted his gaze to the shipyard, "so what you're really curious about is His Highness's skill to build a sailboat in half a month." ”

"No captain wouldn't be curious," he said, rubbing his beard, "if Your Highness is not lying, do you know what that means? ”

Vader's heart moved, "Are you going to ......?"

The old man smiled, "I can't eat your porridge for nothing all the time. ”

"Of course His Royal Highness the Prince will not lie," suddenly someone next to him said, "and it is not a sailboat. ”

Vader turned around, and the speaker was a young man with an accent like a native of the Westside, "Not a sailboat?"

"That's right, it doesn't need sails to sail, and it's faster than any sailboat. The other party said proudly, "Have you ever seen a steam engine in a mine with a white mist? the kind that can easily drag a basket of ore out of the mine, these cement ships are powered by it, according to His Highness, they are all steam ships!"

"Can you sail without sails?" questioned Kakusim, "what are you talking nonsense, boy, if a ship has no sails, it can only be rowed by oarsmen, and such speed cannot be compared to other sailing ships." Besides, they haven't been in the water yet, and you haven't even seen them, so how do you know they can move?"

"Of course I've seen it," said the young man, grinning, "you're new to the country, and it's normal not to know." In the summer, I had renovated a steamship for a caravan across the channel. However, the ship was still made of wood and was not as durable as the stone ships. ”

Vader wanted to say something, but the other party's eyes suddenly lit up, pointing in the direction of the shipyard, "Look there, His Royal Highness the Prince has come out!"

There was a burst of cheers from the crowd, and everyone raised their hands in greeting their lord.

Prince Roland boarded the makeshift wooden platform at the shipyard and, after a few brief words of congratulations, announced the launch of the new ship.

Amid the sound of subdued slogans, the workers dismantled the side of the wooden shed facing the Chishui River, and a 40-meter-long gray hull slid down the embankment along the snow and plunged headlong into the icy water.

Vader's heart lifted suddenly, he almost thought that this thing would sink directly to the bottom of the water, but he didn't expect that after the rest of the water was in the water, the bow of the boat was cocked again, and a large splash was set off with it.

The crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause again.

"Oh my God, it's really floating," Kakusim was stunned for a moment, "but it's really made of stone?"

Vader had the same problem - the surface of the bathtub boat looked too smooth, like finely polished granite slabs, but there was no trace of patchwork on its body, and the whole hull was completely integrated. The undecked cabin was shallow enough to sleep, and the bottom was so flat that it was impossible to hold the mast in place, and it was, as everyone said, a bathtub.

But no matter what, His Highness did build the ship in half a month.

He looked at Kakusim and saw that his eyes were shining with interest.

"I'm going to apply for the captaincy," said the old man.

. (To be continued.) )