-sigh- “failed attempt number 78, ice cream came out… too runny… testing reduction in water concentration by a factor of 1 Oril.” Behind me Xin is taking down notes as I work on the stupid ice cream transmutation circle. Symbolism is much more annoying then just concentrating on molecular structure. It seems to draw upon what is collectively thought of rather than fact. For example, in a society that doesn’t consider air to be one of the basic elements they have a much harder time adjusting anything in its composition using the 5-star diagram to tap into dragon’s pulse energy. Since it represents wood, water, fire, metal, earth.

I had to create a whole new diagram structure for stupid ice cream because I needed to have a cycle based on flavoring… I only added this part because I hate myself and I refuse to make this stuff again so I’m doing it all at once with an interchangeable part for flavors. I made a pop out section for the flavoring on the container to adjust for flavoring. The final test is to see if I can’t get these old researchers to actually make the stuff using this circle. I’ve already given up on attempting to teach them molecular chemistry since they are so stuck in their methods and can’t believe that I would know more than them.

Why am I working on all of this instead of something more important? Because mom made a deal with the guy in exchange for a sizable portion of the profits. So now I need to produce the results or else the clan will be seen as charlatans… Why did I have to do that stupid party trick for the kids.

As for the dealing with clan Lin? I have no idea mom took over the discussions there which scares me a little considering their default offer was a mistress from their clan. I hope I made myself clear to mom when I told her I won’t be dealing with any of that.

“Um young lord it’s time to feed ‘wiggles’.” I’m snapped out of my annoying rant with a smile. Turning to my new set up on the side of the room I’ve spared no expense making my little pet feel at home. He’s got a deadly neurotoxin in his venom but he’s not old enough for me to harvest it yet without potentially harming him. I move to his little area looking over my work station and stroke his head gently before depositing the small mice into his aquarium.

I just sit there and watch him chase down the mice for a while before he has a derpy tongue hanging out of his mouth in satisfaction.

“Alright, ice cream transmutation circle is good enough for now. People can deal with slightly runny ice cream until I feel like working on it again or someone else figures out the proper ratios.” I hand Xin I feel the mental chime of the engineering skill ticking up again as I hand him the finished project. He runs off with the finished designs as I pull up the next project. Considering my previous lives work in the Tyrano games R&D department, making explosives was a large part of Shimadas job. So, comparing the explosive powder currently made in this society to what Shimada used for his residueless compound from the last world is slightly annoying. It’s less powerful and I don’t know the composition of the compound, so I’ll need to make due. I start the long process of making a firearm with custom componants. My mental self uses the memories from Haru when Kahto Hirano, the gun nut, would ramble to himself and disassemble and reassemble the parts of his blackpowder rifle to clean it. Unfortunately, I don’t know the ratios for the gunpowder used in modern ammunition and I know that modern bullets are more than just shaped lead they have a cap and a striker which strikes the back of the bullet causing it to fire, but I don’t know the specifics so I’m kind of stuck with the simple stuff for now.

Slowly adjusting the metal and wood into the shape of the musket I’ve been designing for a while I proudly adjust it for easier access of gunpowder storage. Thankfully it’s the more modern blackpowder musket design allowing for faster reload then some of the old ones. With a few additional transmutation circles on the sides of the firearm I can also reload almost instantly. Clearing the residue and lodging the packet of powder is a fast motion to reload. Satisfied I set the new firearm on the side for further sales later.

When Xin returns he looks at the rifle with confusion. “Sir, why is there a rifle here?” I turn to him utterly surprised… They… they already have rifles? But then why was there nothing about them in the records or… or anything with the guards? They all wield blades and bombs!? “How do you know about rifles?” Feeling the creeping annoyance coming in on my mind.

“Well, they were part of my list of dangers from Head guardsmen mo- Su. She repeatedly told me about other countries that hide behind their simple toys that fire metal. That they are no match for our Chi and martial arts but to still be weary of them.” I face palm. Of course, the society that uses body strengthening techniques doesn’t like the concept of using guns… Is that why most only learn Chi or Alkahestry and not both? Because the trainers for Chi typically view Alkahestry as the weak persons job?

I lift the gun and show him the mechanics of it. “This is a gun. They can fire things really really fast. I understand you might be able to dodge it. But imagine the farmers or the workers. They can wield them without much training.” I… why are these people so stupid?

“Ah but then we wouldn’t be able to tell who the best warrior on the battlefield is and reward them properly with tutelage into becoming a royal guard. We also use explosives of various kinds or long distance Alkahestry so there is no need for these… things.” Okay… shelving the idea of long distance Alkahestry away for later. Do they use wars to thin the population and only keep the physically strongest people? I get it… but also why? They build a society based on personal strength and worshiping… oh they send villages to die in fights so they can maintain control.

We are the largest country on the continent, but we are so behind in technology because the ruling class wants absolute power over people that anything that could give power to a common man is taboo… I swear there could be more continents and I wouldn’t know unless I went to another country. Can’t we just? I don’t know progress? I get that we have a rich culture and all that, but seriously, I’m shitting in an outhouse as a prince because they refuse to implement basic plumbing. I’ve read reports that Amestris has cars! They are probably early like the beginning models, but that’s still impressive as hell compared to here.

“You know what… nevermind. I’m just going to pretend like I didn’t hear that and make myself a personal side arm and not bother distributing it… Actually, do you want one Xin?” I look over to him he gives a small shake of his head. “No thank you, young lord. I’m told they are very loud and it’s my job to be silent.” Of course not… I’ll just… I’ll make some better stuff in the future. Should I really keep trying? They are obviously stuck in the past here… Though I can use that to research stuff on my own first… Oh well…

“How is my request for a meeting with the mother of clan Lin?” Xin pulls out a missive and reads it to me it’s full of flowery language and useless information until the end where it says available at dinner tonight.

“Okay, I’ll see them then… In the meantime, I’ll need to plan what I want…” Looking at the table with the musket on it in disgust I throw it aside. I’ll avoid weapons for now… I’ve already made what I need to defend myself… I don’t need another stupid commodity like ice cream… I could challenge another one of the rules of their civilizations Alkahestry. Creating life is supposed to be impossible through means of Alkahestry, you can join life or fix life, but creation lacks the one vital component. A soul… which I think I have the most knowledge about then anyone else here… Hmm should I break another of their civilizations core tenants?

“Alright I’ll meet them there later…” I start drawing up the plans… Some bioengineering courses and a short stint in a lab at a university that worked in transplants and bio-scaffolding I start writing down what I know of cellular structure and development. It doesn’t take long for me to get sucked into the next big project.

That night after dinner The lady of clan Lin arrives at our clans compound along with her daughter Li Lin. There were the usual pleasantries as she and mother do their silent gossip while I talk to Li.

“Big… big brother?” I pat her head smiling.

“Yes, little Li?” She looks up at me with bright brown eyes.

“Can I have more ice cream?” Little princess just acting nice for more treats haha.

I sigh before drawing up my design for strawberry icecream on some paper with my ink glove.

“Xin grab me these materials.” I hand him a list of ingredients I’ll need using the same trick with ink. Honestly this was probably my best idea, it saves so much time and is only minimally mentally straining.

“Right away young lord.” While he’s gone, I look around and notice something odd. Neither Li Lin or her mother have a guard.

“Where is your private guard, Li?” She gets a bit embarrassed at first then pouts.

“Mommy says that I don’t have the handicap of having a guard, so I have to be extra strong to beat off my siblings… But but not you though… you’re a nice brother.” I smile a bit at that… their situation must really be desperate. Well… hopefully they don’t take my request oddly but are desperate enough to agree anyways.

After the pleasantries are done it finally comes time to discuss the trade.

“So, young lord Du. What is it you would like in exchange for help with our farms? Know now that we will only pay after you’ve finished the job of course.” Lady Lin is a tall thin woman in a faded red Tunic dress. It’s obviously seen better days. But she is acting accordingly much like mother.

“Of course, I would like some womans eggs for my own experimentation.” They look at me weirdly.

Mom is the first to speak up. “Um… Son… woman… we don’t lay eggs? You are thinking of Birds and Snakes... Wiggles is also male so he won't be laying eggs either....” I sigh again… right gaps in knowledge I was already simplifying it.

“No, it’s what’s fertilized with sperm from a male to make a baby. I would like to collect some from some willing doners in order to help work on a project.” They both looks confused again.

“But babies are made… inside us? Are you going to kill these women to extract these eggs?” Lady Lin looks conflicted at the idea of human sacrifice for better farm growth but not fully against the idea.

I let out a bit of a chuckle at the idea. “No no, they will be fine. If you must know I can perform the procedure myself and you can watch if you’d like. I merely wish to see if I can’t test the limits of Alkahestry.” She still looks conflicted for a while before slowly nodding. Mom meanwhile is looking at me odd still.

“Very well… young lord I just hope… when can you potentially help our farms?” I let out a small smile. That went over much easier than I expected. Then again common people are sent off to die all the time in war what is one lost villager to them if I’m lying? It’s despicable but I have no ill intentions so it’s not going to be that big of a deal.

“I can follow you home tonight and check the fields tomorrow morning. Then I can likely come up with a solution then after reading through your records on field growth.” Considering how barbaric this place is, I’d say it’s probably because they only grew prize crops and didn’t rotate with inexpensive standard crop. The more desperate they became the more they ruined the land by only growing the expensive crops that failed to grow. I can probably fix it by adding nitrogen and other substances directly to the dirt, but I’ll need more information before having the full picture. At the least I can start them out on a plan for rotation on a seasonal bases until it normalizes.

“That’s… that’s good news! We will procure woman willing to donate their… eggs? In addition to the deal, I have discussed with your mother of course, as this sounds like something that will not harm us.” I nod and depart with them. They seem a little embarrassed when we start nearing their land. Sure, enough I see the failed stocks of a bunch of sugar cane and tabaco plants as we pass them by. Withered and small in the ground not reaching maturity. When we arrive at the compound it’s in a state of disrepair and it looks like there are very few servants manning the place. Likely having most of their funds tied up in the fields instead.

“We… we apologize for the state of our current housing. These are the best living conditions we can offer second only to my own…” We arrive in a small area that obviously used to have someone stay in it until a servant told them to pack up as much of their stuff as they can before I got there.

“It will be fine… if you do not mind, I will turn in for the night.” We both give curious bows since I am a respected guest, and they are my hosts. I start drawing up plans to implement and how I’m going to use the new 'eggs' I need a nutritional solution to keep them alive and I’ll need to expose them to sperm and create in vitro fertilization in order to create stem cells before I can continue on my plans… Is all of this necessary? No I can probably make proper transplants and such organs through other much easier faster means. However, I want to see how far Alkahestry can go. I want to see if I can accomplish what technology in a modern age cannot with the help of Alkahestry in this backwater world. The question is, should I? Once I start down this path… It will be a very slippery slope and I don’t know everything.