Herald of Steel

Chapter 1389 Re-visiting the Southern District (Part-5)

As Alexander approached one of the two large open workshops, he found the place to be filled with workers, the loud clangs of chisels and hammers chipping away at the huge slabs of stones ringing defiantly in his ears.

Numbering a total that must have been in the hundreds, there were men of all different ages, and every single one was busy as bees.

A group of young, teenage boys was using chisels to cut the huge blocks of stones they got from the quarries into more manageable pieces, while another group sanded down the stone surfaces to get that smooth, glossy finish.

Next to them were the adult middle aged men, dressed in simple tunics, working as supervisors and sculptors, the main 'force' of the place.

They were busy directing the younger workers, discussing how best to proceed with various projects with their fellow members and of course creating the actual sculptures themselves.

Armed with merely a small hammer and chisel, these men created great works of art that left everyone amazed.

Even just seeing them work was a sight for sore eyes- the precision with which they wielded their tools, that distinct, repeated clinking sound, the focused look they had as they worked, the stone slowly taking shape with each distinct tap, and even the layer of white, stone powder masking their face and clothes... for someone like Alexander, seeing something made actually by humans hand was still very mesmerizing.

It made each and every one distinct and unique, giving them a 'soul', unlike the cold, 'dead' factory produced 'objects' of the future.

The only gripe Alexander might have had with the sight was how none of them wore masks.

He did not dare imagine what all that dust did to their nose and lungs.

And it was not like it was just them that were affected.

There were many small boys working in these shops too, aged as little as six or seven, doing various chores- like carrying food and water, delivering messages, or just moving things like tools, ladders, etc. around.

Most of them were children or brothers of the working men, and given the generally dusty grounds, these stone particles surely wreaked havoc on their soft lungs.

But Alexander did not bother even contemplating mandating such safety standards because he knew he could have better results howling at the moon.

Forget the many far more dangerous threats lurking around their every corner- fever, cholera, plague, smallpox, each capable of leaping their lives far earlier than some lung damage from breathing in dust, but even without them, the fact was that the very concept of health risks did not exist at the time.

Most people did not even believe in diseases as we do in modern times,

More specifically, they did not believe diseases were caused by environmental factors.

Instead, the common folk had their beliefs in the supernatural- believing it was caused by ghosts, curses from the gods, karma, and even astrology- so if the sun was in the western hemisphere, and a black cat passed by you while the moon was in a certain phase of the month, then you got sick.

Even those 'more learned' were not far off the looney train, for they too had similar outlandish theories, believing ailments were a result of immortal virtues, smelly air, or due to various 'elemental' imbalances in the body.

So how was Alexander supposed to force these men to wear masks?

It could not give off the same aura of strength and density that a marble statue could.

In fact, even modern concrete could not exactly emulate marble if looked close enough.

Hence Alexander solemnly nodded reassuringly with his head,

"That is right! So really the only people who are buying these statuses are poor people who are unable to afford actual marble. True nobles will never be cheap. You will always have us!"

And he truly meant what he said, based on what he had seen in his previous life. There was just something luxurious and opulent about real marble you just could not copy.

Thus the logical deduction and the confirmation that his business was going nowhere instantly rejuvenated the elder man's spirits, as he excited jumped in pleasure,

"Right! Right! You are correct, my lord. Hahaha, both copper and iron are used for the same things. But they still exist together. Hahaha, looks like I was overthinking it, overthinking it!"

It could be seen that one of Lattie's little quirks was repeating the last words he spoke when he was happy.

And Alexander also stoked these emotions,

"Mmm, we have fool's gold, but it did not drive goldsmiths out. True quality will always attract people with noble hearts. Be diligent and continue to work hard."

The subtle wordplay did not miss Lattie, and Alexander left the old man in an ecstatic mood.

.....

Alexander left the stone mason workshops with a pleased heart, believing that the number of sculptors in the city was sure to increase in the future.

The reason why it had not already was due to the high skill needed to enter the market, one needed at least a decade of experience before even starting the first chip and the fact that cement was a heavily regulated resource.

Given its scarcity, naturally it was never sold to the public, and so whatever small amounts the people could get their hands on was actually either smuggled out by some of the construction workers or taken from the few concrete statues he had commissioned for the temples.

Let us say no to piracy! Don't take part in a crime! Don't patronize thieves!

Please come Here!

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