Building the First Industrial Empire in Another World

Three weeks later, construction officially began on the Helmarte Soap Works.

The chosen site stood roughly three kilometers south of the capital city beside one of the larger branches of the Aldren River.

Actually, selecting the location itself took Ernest nearly an entire week of calculations and inspections before construction even started.

At first, Hollen assumed Ernest simply wanted land near water because soap manufacturing consumed large amounts of it.

Which was true.

But that was only part of the reason.

The real reason sat directly behind Ernest’s mechanical engineering mindset.

Power generation.

As Ernest stood near the riverside that morning watching workers unload timber from wagons, he could still remember the calculations he performed earlier while evaluating the river.

Back on Earth, one of the simplest hydropower formulas he learned was:

Power equals specific weight of water multiplied by flow rate and multiplied again by head.

In simpler terms?

The stronger and faster the water flowed, and the greater the height difference, the more usable mechanical power the river could provide.

Obviously, Ernest could not precisely calculate modern kilowatt outputs here due to lack of proper instruments.

But he still estimated the river’s capability manually.

He observed the flow speed using floating wood markers.

Measured approximate river depth using weighted rope.

Estimated width visually.

Then combined the numbers mentally.

The Aldren River branch moved far more water than ordinary mill streams.

More importantly?

There was a natural elevation drop near the construction site where the river current accelerated slightly before curving toward Helmarte.

Perfect conditions for a large industrial waterwheel.

And the river offered another advantage too.

Transportation.

That part mattered enormously.

Unlike ordinary roads which became muddy disasters during heavy rain, the Aldren River flowed directly through portions of Helmarte itself before connecting toward larger downstream trade routes.

Meaning goods could move through barges.

Actually, Ernest already included future river transport logistics inside the business proposal.

Raw materials like animal fat, oils, ash, herbs, and charcoal could arrive through barges instead of relying entirely on ox wagons.

Finished soap products could also move directly into the city’s commercial districts through the waterways.

Lower transport cost.

Higher cargo capacity.

Reduced road congestion.

Even in the medieval world, rivers functioned like industrial highways.

And now, standing beside the construction grounds, Ernest watched that future slowly begin taking shape.

Workers moved everywhere carrying timber, rope, stone blocks, and iron fittings across the muddy construction grounds.

Several oxen pulled wagons loaded with lumber while carpenters shouted measurements toward one another near the foundation markers.

Stone masons hammered support blocks into place.

Meanwhile near the riverbank itself, workers operated a large wooden pulley frame lifting one of the heavier support beams using thick rope and counterweight systems.

Actually, Ernest found the construction methods fascinating.

Primitive compared to modern engineering obviously.

But still mechanically intelligent.

Without engines or electricity, everything relied heavily on leverage and force multiplication.

Pulleys.

Winches.

Counterweights.

Rollers.

Tripod lifting rigs.

Simple machines developed through centuries of practical labor experience.

Near the edge of the site, several workers rotated a massive hand-cranked winch connected to thick ropes wrapped around stone foundation blocks.

Every turn slowly dragged the stones toward the production hall foundations.

"Pull steadily!" one foreman shouted.

"Don’t loosen the tension!"

The ropes tightened immediately while several laborers guided the moving blocks carefully.

Despite lacking modern equipment, the entire operation still looked impressive.

Human civilization adapted surprisingly well long before industrial engines existed.

Standing nearby with crossed arms, Hollen observed the site proudly.

The forge owner clearly invested heavily already.

Very heavily.

Timber alone cost enormous amounts of money.

Meanwhile custom iron fittings for the waterwheel assembly were currently being forged back inside Hollen’s workshops.

"You really thought this through," Victor muttered quietly beside Ernest.

Ernest glanced toward his father afterward.

Actually, Victor still looked slightly stunned even now.

The blacksmith stood near the riverbank wearing simpler supervisory clothing instead of his old soot-covered forge attire.

Because now?

Victor officially worked under the soap project itself.

Not merely as labor.

But as one of the operational supervisors overseeing construction and future production organization.

Honestly, Ernest intentionally pushed for that.

His father spent years destroying his body inside the forge.

Now Victor finally supervised instead of simply enduring.

Hollen suddenly pointed toward the river foundation area.

"The wheel support goes there."

Several workers currently dug deep foundation trenches near the riverbank while carpenters assembled massive wooden support frames nearby.

The future waterwheel section alone looked enormous.

Actually larger than many grain mill wheels Ernest saw earlier around Helmarte.

Because unlike ordinary flour mills, this system needed enough rotational force to power multiple soap-mixing paddles simultaneously.

One six-meter wheel.

One reinforced horizontal driveshaft.

Then transferred through wooden gears and belt systems toward the kettle paddles inside the production hall. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Well sometime in the near future, he will introduce steam engines and electricity in this world.

Victor continued staring toward the construction site silently.

Actually, Ernest understood why.

For most of Victor’s life, work meant surviving another day inside the forge.

Heat.

Smoke.

Pain.

Routine.

The idea that his son somehow helped create something this massive still probably felt unreal to him.

Then the older man suddenly let out a quiet breath.

"...Never thought I’d see something like this."

His eyes remained fixed toward the half-built production hall foundations.

Workers moved everywhere across the site while wagons continued arriving loaded with timber and stone.

Meanwhile near the river, the framework for the massive waterwheel slowly began taking shape.

Actually, even experienced workers occasionally stopped just to stare at the size of it.

Because compared to ordinary village mill wheels, this thing looked enormous.

Industrial.

Hollen smirked slightly afterward.

"Wait until the kettles arrive."

Victor glanced toward him.

"How large?"

"Large enough to boil hundreds of soap bars per batch."

That answer alone clearly impressed him.

Then Hollen suddenly looked toward Ernest.

"And if the projections are even remotely accurate..."

The forge owner crossed his arms.

"...this place will expand again within a few years."

Honestly?

Ernest believed that too.

The demand indicators already looked promising.

Forge workers wanted more soap.

Families wanted more soap.

Even the Guildmaster’s household reacted positively.

And actual selling had not even started yet.

That was the important part.

This business still existed before true market launch.

Meaning growth potential remained enormous.

Ernest slowly looked toward the river afterward where sunlight reflected across the flowing water.

A waterwheel today.

Steam engines someday, and then electrical appliances, automotives, and airplanes, the whole modern industry.

It’s going to be exhilarating.