" As for the atmospheric engine, although it is still not as advanced as the ones we use, and still quite a distance off the export models, the problem is that more and more people are buying the locally manufactured variants rather than the ones we manufacture, despite it being better and more cost-effective." Hearing Roshan's words, Selvan looked rather cautious, and for Vijay, his brows were furrowed.

Not because of the Europeans purchasing their own locally made products, because that is bound to happen with the introduction of steam technology in the European continent. The economies of all the countries are steadily growing, and as the economy grows, so does per capita GDP. With this rise in per capita GDP comes nationalism, because when people's necessities are met and they begin living better lives, they start thinking about things beyond themselves, and usually, that thing becomes service to the nation.

So, it's not surprising that more people are purchasing their own homegrown engines instead of the better Devaraya atmospheric steam engine. Besides, he already knew this data after looking at the export analytics from Raya Power

Company, but what worried him was how fast the Europeans were picking up things. He knew copying technology, especially simpler technology which could be emulated with a reference, was easy, but he did not think it would be this easy.

An industrial system is a special combination of various components, and even if one or two components in this system do not work, the entire system will lag behind. This is why Vijay was confident, even if the Europeans cracked the actual technology of the atmospheric engine or the Kesari Engine, they wouldn't have all the supporting industrial chains, but now it looks like they are developing it at a faster speed.

' Could he be responsible?' Vijay speculated that the person he had in his mind in his last life was so dazzling that he overshadowed the brilliance of almost everyone in his time.

" Why do you think the Europeans are cracking our technology so quickly? " Vijay asked, not immediately putting forward his speculation.

Roshan lowered his head and stroked his beard, " All the sources point to several key scientists across Europe, your majesty, but the major ones include Isaac Newton, Robert Hook, Gilles de Roberval, and Christian Huygens."

" Can they be eliminated? "

" We can try, your majesty, but ever since we took out the nobles and important scientists as retaliation for their attacks, the key scientists are protected as if they are treasures."

" Tch, alright, keep looking for an opportunity, when it arrives, don't miss."

" As you wish, your majesty."

The meeting finally ended in the afternoon, and Vijay left for lunch, but his mind was filled with countless thoughts. For starters, he was thinking whether monopolising the manufacturing of steam engines was even the right decision, because although the amount of output in Raya Power Company is massive and can meet the needs of not only the empire but also vassal kingdoms, allied countries, and even Europe, it produces the same thing again and again without any competition, hence leading to the slowdown of innovation, which leads to a longer time for the next iteration to be developed. Whereas the Europeans, since the manufacturing is literally going on in more than seven places, are all in competition with one another and with Raya Power Company, leading them to make quick developments in the heat of the battle.

And one more thing Vijay noticed was that the way he operated the manufacturing of steam engines was like a state-owned planned economy model. So many things can be done with the technology developed by Raya Power Company, but it is only used to produce steam engines and nothing else, and even while producing the steam engine, due to the explicit contracts stating what the engines have to be used for, it has completely cut off the path of using the same engines in different ways.

He is worried if this goes on like this, then he would never reach the development of steam turbines and more advanced steam engines faster than the Europeans, since he has to plan everything, while the Europeans, like planes on autopilot, pile up technology through hook or crook on top of one another.

Ganesh received an important message that he had to relay to the emperor, but, looking at Vijay so lost, he did not disturb him and left.

Vijay can definitely solve the issue by making the steam engine technology available for civilian industries, but he is still worried that he would be giving away too much to the Europeans, because it is inevitable that the Europeans could crack the technology once it enters the civilian market. Although at the rate things are going now, it will be no problem to maintain dominance for at least a few more decades, he still has to consider further into the future. The key issue he has to handle is balance, how to let go so that local innovation in the steam industry prospers, but not so much that the Europeans quicken their pace of research.

Shaking his head and finishing his lunch, he went for a walk in the garden to freshen his mind and also to digest the food he had eaten a little.

Coming back, Ganesh seemed to be waiting for him, " What happened? Is there any important news? "

" Not important per se, your majesty, I just received a message from Raya Power Company."

" Apparently, they have mass production tested the smaller steam engine you asked Mobility Labs to develop."

Hearing these words, Vijay's eyes immediately lit up, not only because the smaller steam engine is much more applicable to the lives of common people, as it can directly be used in their personal lives, but also because he felt like the smaller steam engine was the perfect technology that could be made public.

" Katappa, prepare the car. "

---

Thankfully, the journey was not too long. He switched to a fresh car whenever the car he was in ran out of fuel or the engine became too hot, and he arrived at Nagpur by 9:00 PM.

Of course, he did not directly go to the factory floor. He slept in his palace for the night and left first thing in the morning.

Raya Power Company Industrial Complex in Nagpur is the biggest manufacturing plant in the world, expanding several square kilometres in size and single-handedly responsible for the employment of over 200,000 people.

Logistically, such an arrangement does not make sense, as it is more efficient if smaller manufacturing plants are located in different parts of the empire, but for security purposes, it is brilliant.

The smoke from hundreds of chimneys covered the sky like a dark cloud looming, and he could see all the people wearing bright safety helmets and jackets, busy with their own things.

Sounds of steam engines could constantly be heard throughout the factory floor, which irritated Vijay a little, but he knew it was just because of that annoying and irritating sound that the Bharatiya Empire was prosperous.

Thankfully, though, since they had invited him, they had also made preparations to see to it that he was well received, so he was directed to a factory away from all the manufacturing plants, within which a crude-looking iron block was placed.

" This is it? " he asked.

" Yes, your majesty, it is a single-cylinder reciprocating steam engine, made as compactly while maintaining some power, as requested. "

Vijay looked around the engine out of curiosity. After the Kathayani Sisters, who developed both the telephone and phonograph, requested that he build a miniature steam engine, he immediately relayed his idea to the Mobility Labs. But unfortunately, when his request arrived, neither Hey Ram, who was developing the next-generation Balvan engine, nor Vedant, who was developing the next-generation Bhairavi Marine engine, wanted to be distracted by a smaller project, so the project fell onto the heads of the junior research division of the Mobility Labs.

Now, seeing that even personnel from the Power Labs were present in the factory, Vijay concluded that manufacturing engineering, specifically, production line and mass production techniques, had also been developed, since that was the primary domain of the Power Labs.

" Does it have a name? "

" No, your majesty, for now we internally call it the Mark One. "

Vijay smiled, realising that they were trying to flatter him by allowing him to name the engine. To be fair, he was indeed flattered because naming things was really fun sometimes, and Hey Ram and Vedant don't allow him to name anything anymore since they know he won't take any offence, and their favourability with him is already at a very high level, so why bother flattering even more? " You guys could have just named it according to your ideas, but still, let's keep the model number you have designated, Mark One. As for the name, let's call it Pragathi, as in progress. "

" So it will be called Pragathi Mark One, for the next variant Mark Two, Mark Three, so on and so forth. "

The young man who was a lead researcher excitedly nodded, " It is a brilliant name, your majesty, we couldn't have done better. "

Vijay rolled his eyes and decided to get to the main topic.

" What's its output? "

" One to two horsepower, your majesty. "

" Rated torque and peak torque? "

" 4.8 khand metre at 375 RPM and 5.6 khand metre at 300 RPM, your majesty. "

" Operational speed? "

" 250 to 450 RPM, your majesty, but rated speed is 375. Of course, if things have to be pushed to the maximum without any load, it can go up to 500 RPM easily. "

Vijay looked at the pipes and all the things that he had not seen on the larger models. He could tell that these were transfer system valves, but he was curious as to who developed them.

" This is a new valve technology? "

" Yes, your majesty, we call it a D-slide valve system. The ones that were being used in the larger engines could not be used in the compact one, as it not only makes everything more complicated, but it also reduces the efficiency of the engine. "

" You designed it? "

" Partially, your majesty, I had a few people to help. "

" Very good, " Vijay nodded and patted the young man's back in appreciation, " You can be in charge of future designs of Pragathi engines. What's your name? "

The young man felt palpitations in his heart, " It's Mokshagundam Visveswaraya, sir. "

" Oh! " Vijay was a little taken aback. This name was very familiar to him, M. Visvesvaraya. In his past life, there existed a person with the same first name and surname, who was one of the greatest civil engineers of India, and even Engineers' Day was celebrated in his name. Besides, even the university he studied at was called Visvesvaraya Technological University. Was this a coincidence? Vijay felt too incredible; thankfully, he had seen similar things happen before, so he recovered quickly. " Alright, Mr Visveswaraya, I will leave the Pragathi Research Department to you. "

" Thank you, your majesty, I will make sure to never disappoint your trust. "

Vijay smiled and looked at the people from the Power Labs.

"Have the engine's reliability, efficiency, and other parameters been tested? Also, has the production line been completely debugged? "

" Yes, your majesty, it is ready for mass production at a moment's notice. "

" Good, but hold off on production and wait for my instruction. "

The engineers were confused but still agreed.

Vijay left for the capital with the prototype of the engine with him.

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