Aegon smiled at the question and turned toward the base of the slope, where the final turning wheel was placed inside the river.
Since the giant wheel worked automatically, powered by the current, it was best to occasionally remove the belt connecting the gears of the two wheels to give them some rest.
It seemed like Hecte had also positioned all five giant wheels slightly above the shore so that Bailish and the others couldn’t easily guess their function at first glance.
"It’s actually the best one," Aegon said, his grin widening. "And it’s something that practically everyone can afford, as long as they can handle the initial investment."
"You make me curious," Sansa said, turning toward the giant wheels. "It’s related to them, right?"
"Yup! Let me show you how it works." Aegon nodded and walked toward one of the giant wheels.
They were heavy, but not enough to trouble him. He lifted it by the handle and placed it a little further down the shore, where the flow of water was faster.
As the wings inside began to spin, he connected the belts of the gears, making the wheel turn and send water upwards. He stood at the side, smiling happily as the system came to life.
"This... is an incredible use of water," Bailish mumbled, astonished.
He leapt from his position and landed directly in the river without caring about his luxurious clothes. He examined the giant wheel from every possible angle, smiling the entire time.
"Flowing water has pressure, and that pressure turns the wings because of their shape. Turning!" he exclaimed with excitement. "It was so simple!"
As someone with a strong affinity for water, Bailish understood its properties better than anyone. That only made him lament the fact that he had never thought of using the natural pressure generated by water flow for such practical purposes.
"A self-sustainable way to irrigate the fields," Sansa said, turning toward the carved steps on the slope. "I believe you’re planning to let the water flow downwards naturally, like it’s usually done in terrace farming?"
"Yup. It should be easy enough for the farmers, as long as they can afford the initial investment," Aegon nodded. "But even if they can’t, the other two methods should still suffice."
Bailish’s laughter drew everyone’s attention. He laughed heartily between his words, "There are so many uses for this! Thank you, Aegon. I can already think of multiple ways to use this concept."
Though this world had magic, the majority of people were either ordinary beings or low-ranked Knights. Only the rich, powerful, and influential truly lived in the realm of magic, while everyone else survived in the mundane world, admiring Mages as if they were gods.
That was why an invention accessible even to ordinary people was such a precious thing. Sadly, most people were too focused on magic to create or improve practical tools.
After all, if they could make a vehicle run on Mana Stones, why would anyone bother creating a cart pulled by bulls or other animals, which would be far slower?
Even when such vehicles were pulled by magical beasts, they still required Rune Formations, making them expensive and exclusive to the upper class.
This was the reason why mundane technology lagged behind, even though through magic, this world was highly advanced.
By creating a giant wheel powered purely by water pressure, Aegon had ignited a spark of inspiration in Bailish’s mind. As a High-Grade Water Affinity user and a 7-Star Mage, Bailish understood the properties of water better than anyone, and he could already envision countless ways to apply this principle.
That thought made Aegon smile as he wondered about the future awaiting the Moonrise Kingdom. It would surely progress much faster from here on.
’But it depends on how much time he’s willing to spend on things . He has far more important matters to handle.’
Aegon turned toward Bailish. "Uncle, can I request two things?"
"Of course, you can ask for anything, Aegon," Bailish said in excitement. He was so overjoyed that he didn’t care what Aegon would ask, he was willing to fulfill any wish he had.
That was how happy he was, and all because of his deep love for his kingdom.
"Well, first, please don’t make these terrace farmlands everywhere. It might impact the environment negatively," Aegon reminded him.
Even though he wasn’t entirely sure, he knew how human greed often led to the destruction of nature. He hoped the same fate wouldn’t befall this kingdom.
"You don’t need to worry about that," Sansa answered before Bailish could, her voice calm yet firm. "The lands, the rivers, the forests—everything belongs to the Moon Goddess. We remember to take care of them."
"That’s good," Aegon sighed in relief. "Oh, that reminds me, I won’t be handling anything afterward. I’m leaving for the Apostle Academy, so you’ll have to manage the nobles and their demands. Please make sure these are meant for farmers, not some greedy nobles."
He paused for a moment before adding, "And about your enemies too. They won’t sit still after you solve the crisis."
A sharp glint passed through the King’s eyes as his regal aura seemed to fill the entire area. "You can rest assured about that as well," Bailish said coldly.
"Then, about my second wish..." Aegon turned toward Xavier, and both of them exchanged knowing smiles.
Through the Mass Communication Devices, the news of terrace farming and the new irrigation methods spread all across the Moonrise Kingdom in no time.
The citizens cheered with joy; some even cried tears of relief. This was the kind of desperation that had consumed countless farmers, even though the King had already been doing everything in his power to help them. The rıghtful source is 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵
As the joyful waves of celebration spread far and wide, even reaching other nations, the capital itself was swept up in the excitement. Many farmers wept in gratitude inside their humble homes.
One such man was Old Bai. Upon hearing the announcement, he and his wife hugged tightly as they remembered the their kids who might never return.
At that moment, a knight from the King’s Guard arrived at their doorstep, shocking them to the core. They instantly dropped to their knees, trembling as they wondered if they had committed any crime.
But all the knight did was smile kindly and hand them a set of official documents, leaving behind a single sentence.
"You two are truly blessed. You met the two princes yesterday. His Highness wished to give the first of his creations to you. From now on, you two own these five terraces personally built by him."
That day, the old couple finally understood that the future of their kingdom was in kind, noble hands.
Both of them blessed the two young men who had eaten in their humble home and prayed sincerely for their well-being.
They wished for them from the very bottom of their hearts.