Burner Engine

Yeah, screw saving the fantasy of this world. What I wouldn’t do for an electric saw right now.

Shiro moved a hand saw back and forth, cutting a hole into the center of a broken carriage. Gradually widening it into a larger and more uniform circle.

The carriage was missing a wheel, the wheel axis was broken and there was already a hole in the center before Shiro had even started cutting it.

The bigger I make it, the larger the air intake... But then the less room there will be to walk around.

Shiro stood up and wiped his sweat from his brow.

He was alone.

It was initially just Gris. He was in charge of watching Shiro today, but he had to leave in an emergency.

"Really hope this isn't another attack. Doesn't help that I'm just alone out here..."

Shiro looked around at the surrounding courtyard. He was still inside the Royal Palace, which was likely the reason Gris ended up leaving him alone.

"... well should be fine."

"What will be fine! You should be alone!"

Azura's voice cut through the silence.

"Why am I getting yelled at? I didn't leave myself here?"

"Still. You shouldn't be alone."

"I know that."

Azura stared at Shiro, though her eyes lacked the usual glare.

"...So... Why are you cutting a hole in a broken carriage?"

"I got to help out where I can. Geraltavin's guys are engraving runes into the sails, while the drawf himself is forging the parts for the burner engine. Which is why, I'm making this hole bigger in this already broken carriage."

"Burner Engine?"

"It is in my note book..."

Shiro pointed off to the crates that held the tools and supplies.

"...I will explain it once I finish making this hole. I also don't need the wheels, their axis, or this part in the front for correcting the cart to horses."

Azura sat on the crates, one leg crossed over the other as she leaned back and looked through the note book.

"How are you going to move it around? You're not testing it in the Palace."

"No, the hot air balloon has like no control over directions. We'll just drag it out of the city walls and assembly everything on the day."

Shiro climbed off the carriage and made his way over to Azura.

"You still can't read that."

"I can infer enough... This is new."

She turned the note book around. On the latest page was a sketch of a hot air balloon. Dimensions left blank with variables to be filled out later. Once the air blow was actually made.

"Yeah. That is what it's going to look like. I'll need to calculate the lift force based on the volume of the hot air. Can't just look it up like I could have back home. Not to mention your standard unit of measurement is building stories."

"Knowledge like this is publicly shared where you're from?"

"I mean, depends on the nation but yes. This is also far from advanced technology that would be kept secret."

"Yet you still have us making it. Or are you going to say something about the manufacturing gap."

"Looks like we're spending too much time together. There is no point in trying to copy my world. We didn't have magic and runes. In fact, many engineers, more capable than me, were still trying to make the rail cannon and airships viable when I left. Magic changes the game entirely."

"Alright for now then. The Burner Engine, Where's that?"

"You need to go back a few pages..."

Azura flipped through the notebook until she landed on the drawing of the burner engine.

"That's it!"

A series of small rings lined the bottom of the sheet metal cone. Each ring was slightly tilted up and to an angle. Inside the cone was multiple spikes and at it top, the cone straightened to a long section made of multiple tubes.

"Looks weird."

"It's still a preliminary design. The rings at the bottom are going to be engraved with the wind runes for the spell 'Gust'. Their tilled in a way that the wind should spin in a vortex."

"Why does that matter?"

"It will improve air flow and allow for great heating as the air passes through. These spikes are going to be engraved with Fire runes. The top here will straighten the air out and pump it directly into the balloon."

"..."

"You get it?"

"Like when some rises from a fire. You plan on catching it in the ship sails and sailing through the sky that way."

"That's pretty close. There is a bit more science behind it, like how hot air is less dense than cold, and so forth."

"And then your airship will expand it from a dingy to a full galleon?"

"Yup. Ignore the inverted battleships for now a sec. We'll have ships that can sail to any nation, land locked or not. Carry cargo or people anywhere. And alumi.er... feather steel will be our biggest money maker. Its weight to strength ratio is what built the modern aviation of my old world."

Azura took a moment to respond. Shiro wasn't sure if he had confused her or if she was just thinking about possibilities.

When she did speak, her tone sounded almost casual.

"Well you better get back to cutting up that carriage."

"You want to help? You're a lot stronger than me."

"Nope. I'm just here to watch."

Huh. Guess I caught her in a good mood today.

"What are you starting at? Get to cutting!"

...Never mind

"Alright, alright."