Eight hours later, Napoleon found himself seated in Ciela's office, a rather tense atmosphere enveloping the room. Across the desk, he perused one of the reports detailing their ambitious railroad enterprise. The words on the page danced before his eyes, painting a vivid picture of progress and connectivity.
"Hmm," he pondered aloud, his voice resonating with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. "So, if I understand correctly, our latest endeavor involves connecting Versailles to Bordeaux? A rather ambitious project, wouldn't you say?"
Ciela nodded in affirmation. "Indeed, Napoleon. The primary objective of our railroad company is to forge vital connections between major cities, facilitating seamless transportation and enhancing logistic capabilities. Bordeaux is an important port city that holds significant strategic and economic value," Ciela explained and continued. "With its prime location in southwestern France. Bordeaux serves as a critical hub for trade and commerce. Its bustling port handles vast quantities of goods, both imported and exported, making it an economic powerhouse. By connecting Versailles to Bordeaux through our railroad, we can unlock tremendous potential for growth. The Committee of Transportation of the National Constituent Assembly realized this prospect and so they gave us a contract."
Napoleon leaned back in his chair, mulling over the implications of such an extensive undertaking.
"But we are in the middle of the revolution, and not to mention there are royalists," Napoleon interjected, his brows furrowing with concern.
Ciela nodded, acknowledging the complexities of the situation. "You're right, Napoleon. The revolution has indeed stirred tensions and given rise to opposing factions. Bordeaux, being a city with a history deeply rooted in monarchy, does have its share of royalists who may see the construction as an invasion from the revolutionary government."
"So, what are your plans on navigating through it?"
"We simply tell the citizens living there that this construction project is not a political one. Also, to smooth things out, we can hire local workers from Bordeaux itself. By involving the citizens in the project and providing them with employment opportunities that generate revenue for the city, there's a small chance of opposition."
Napoleon hummed in satisfaction, pleased by Ciela's answer. "Well, it seems like you know how to deal with them. Anyways, while I was in Valence, I was curious about something."
"What is it?" Ciela asked.
"Is there a concept of fast long-distance communication in the 21st century?" Napoleon revealed. "You see, I have been contemplating a method for fast communication, something that you can get in an instant instead of having to wait weeks or months."
Ciela propped her chin up and hummed in thought. "Well, we do but I don't think it can be built in this era. Also, I'm not an expert in electronics so I won't be of help."
Napoleon smiled inwardly, by asking that question, he was eliminating suspicion from Ciela that he also came from the 21st century. And now that she confirmed that there is one, he can present his idea to her.
Napoleon pulled out a notebook and opened it. "I see because I have come up with a device. Here is the schematic, it uses electricity to transmit messages over long distances almost instantaneously."
Ciela leaned forward and scanned the page, and there she saw a device similar to an appearance of a telegraph. Realizing it, her eyes widened. How was Napoleon Bonaparte able to conceive such an advanced concept? It seemed inconceivable, considering the era they were in.
"I have been fascinated with the nature of electricity," Napoleon shared. "How it works and how it can be harnessed for various purposes. During my time in Valence, I came across scientific papers discussing the phenomenon of electric currents and their potential applications. Its interesting nature of it being able to travel through conducting materials intrigued me. I began to ponder how this could be leveraged for communication, and that's when the idea for the telegraph started to take shape in my mind."
Ciela looked again at his paper, and despite her doing her best trying to understand it, she couldn't comprehend it. She may be good at history but she is bad at science and math, a subject that she hated as it is not even going to be helpful in her job as a Vtuber.
"One thing I can say for certain is that this device looks familiar with telegraphs that were invented in the 1830s. Though I haven't delved deeper into its intricacies, it was a communication device that allows long-distance transmission…" she trailed off, noticing Napoleon grinning. "Why are you grinning?"
"Well, it's a surprise to me that you don't know how this device works. Surely in the modern age, information such as the principles of telegraphs would be easy to find, right?"
"Just because I came from the 21st century doesn't mean that I know all the scientific details and advancements that occurred in history," Ciela replied, pouting. "Also, I know the principles, I just don't know how each separate material operates. In the 21st century, telegraphs are obsolete, there's no use for people like us studying it, except for someone who loves history and engineers and scientists."
"I apologize," Napoleon raised his hands in a placating gesture, his grin softening. "Let me explain how it works now. So, telegraphs consist of an electrical circuit that includes several key components. Let me break it down for you, Ciela, in a way that's easy to understand.
The first component is the power source, typically a battery. This provides the necessary electrical energy to drive the telegraph system. The battery generates a continuous flow of electric current that powers the entire circuit.
Next, we have the sender or transmitter. This is where the message originates. It consists of a telegraph key, which is a simple switch that can be pressed to create a short electrical pulse. By tapping the key in a specific pattern, the sender can encode the message into a series of short and long pulses.
Now, these electrical pulses need a medium to travel through, and that's where the wire or cable comes in. The wire serves as a conductor, allowing the electrical signals to flow from the sender to the receiver. It forms a closed loop circuit, connecting the sender and the receiver at both ends.
Moving on to the receiver, it is equipped with an electromagnet. An electromagnet is essentially a coil of wire wound around a metal core. When an electric current flows through the coil, it generates a magnetic field. This magnetic field interacts with a piece of iron or another metal, causing it to move. In the case of the telegraph, this movement is used to produce audible or visible signals.
Attached to the moving piece of metal is a lever or armature that carries a stylus or marker. When the electromagnet is energized by the electrical pulses sent by the sender, it attracts the armature, causing the stylus to make marks on a strip of paper or sound a click to represent the transmitted message. These marks or clicks can be decoded into letters, words, and sentences, allowing the receiver to understand the message.
The patterns generated by this device that you call telegraph are dot and dash. I need to come up with an alphabet to represent these patterns…"
As Napoleon was explaining the telegraph, she couldn't help but admire his brilliance. The way he explained it to her made it look so easy, and to think that she would learn technology from a man in the past is absolutely mind-boggling. Like shouldn't it be the other way around? Because she came from the future. But that's not the case here.
"Well, Napoleon, the inventor of the telegraph in our world is named Samuel Morse. Along with his invention is a chart called Morse code, which is what you are describing. Morse code uses a combination of dots and dashes to represent letters and numbers. It's a clever way of encoding information using a simple system of short and long signals."
"Morse code huh?" Napoleon repeated. He was familiar with it and he already had a sheet of it from his system. Just like earlier, Napoleon is simply eliminating Ciela's suspicion. Should he utter the words Morse code, it would be a problem for him. "If it's called Morse code in your word, then in this world, it must be Bonaparte's code."
Ciela chuckled at Napoleon's suggestion, finding his attempt at humor endearing. "Bonaparte's code, huh? Well, it does have a nice ring to it," she replied with a smile. "Well, it is your invention so you have the right to name it whatever you like. Speaking of invention, you don't have a prototype right? Since my money is your money, I will give you the funds to make a prototype. And once you have the prototype, we can demonstrate it to the French Academy of Sciences."
"Okay," Napoleon rose to his feet and walked over to her. He leaned and planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Wha…what are you doing you dummy?!" Ciela blurted out, her cheeks flushing with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. She instinctively reached up to touch her forehead, her fingertips tingling from the lingering warmth of his kiss.
Napoleon straightened himself. "Well, since we are living together, wouldn't that make us a couple? We shared a bed and we spent time together. It seems only natural to me. You don't mind, do you?"
"You seemed to be growing more bold and straightforward, Napoleon…" Ciela replied bashfully.
"But aren't you in the beginning? You keep teasing me, alluring me, and enticing me with your charm," Napoleon said, his voice filled with playful teasing. "I believe it's only fair that I do the same to you."
"Moah…Napoleon you dummy..!"
"Seeing your flushed cheeks and bashful voice makes me want to give you another kiss on the forehead."
Ciela's heart skipped a beat at his words, her face turning even redder. She found herself at a loss for words, her mind filled with a mix of surprise, embarrassment, and a hint of excitement. It was true that their relationship had grown closer over time, but the sudden display of affection caught her off guard.
"Well for now I will pat your head," Napoleon paused, reaching out to gently pat Ciela's head.
Ciela didn't protest, instead, she closed her eyes, savoring the tender touch of his hand on her hair. It was a simple gesture, yet it made her feel cherished and protected.
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