The sun had crested over Madrid's skyline by the time Prince Lancelot stepped into the marble foyer of the Ministry of Public Works. The building stood opposite the Royal Postal Exchange—a stout, square structure of fading stone and wooden columns. Civil servants moved briskly along its corridors, carrying scrolls and ledgers, most of them oblivious to the sudden presence of the nation's Regent.
Don Ignacio Ordoñez, Minister of Public Works, stood when Lancelot entered his office. A thin man in his late forties, Ordoñez wore a slightly wrinkled brown coat and pince-nez glasses that slid precariously down his nose. He looked like a man more comfortable among blueprints than politics.
"Your Royal Highness," Ordoñez bowed stiffly. "This is… an unexpected honor."
Lancelot waved off the formalities. "Let's keep this informal, Minister. I wanted to speak with you in person. About roads."
Ordoñez blinked, then motioned to the modest seating area in his office. "Certainly, please. Have a seat."
Lancelot took one of the chairs by the fireplace while Alicia stood behind him, clipboard in hand, as always. Ordoñez lowered himself cautiously, uncertain of where the conversation was headed.
"You oversee the maintenance and development of our nation's roads, correct?" Lancelot began.
"Yes, Your Highness," Ordoñez replied. "Though our budget is… limited. The court prioritizes military expenditure and religious structures, I'm afraid. Roads come after cathedrals."
Lancelot smirked. "I intend to change that. Tell me, what is the current standard for road construction in the kingdom?"
Ordoñez reached for a worn portfolio on his desk and opened it. "Cobblestones within cities and packed dirt for outer roads. Occasionally we use larger flagstones for ceremonial routes, but… they don't hold well under traffic. Mud during rains. Dust during droughts."
Lancelot nodded. "And how long does it take a fully loaded cart to travel from Madrid to Valencia?"
"Nearly a week in good weather," Ordoñez said. "Ten days if it rains."
"That's unacceptable," Lancelot said flatly. "We're going to cut that in half."
Ordoñez furrowed his brow. "Half, Your Highness? Forgive me, but unless we build entirely new routes—"
"We will," Lancelot interrupted. "But not just any routes. I want you to study a new road system—called macadamized roads."
"Macadamized?" Ordoñez echoed, unfamiliar with the term.
Lancelot leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "A method I learned from foreign engineers. It uses layers—compact gravel, crushed stone, and a slightly convex surface to allow water to run off. No mud. No pooling. Horse carriages glide across it. Carts travel faster. Maintenance is cheaper in the long term."
Ordoñez adjusted his glasses. "Is this… proven, Your Highness?"
"In some parts of Europe," Lancelot lied smoothly. "But I want Aragon to surpass them. I want us to be the first to fully embrace it."
The minister shifted, intrigued despite himself. "And… where would you propose we begin?"
Lancelot produced a small scroll from Alicia, which she unfurled. A hand-drawn map marked several cities across the Iberian Peninsula—Madrid at the center, connected to Zaragoza, Valencia, Toledo, and Seville with bold red lines.
"These are our arteries," Lancelot said. "I want a Royal Highway Network. Fully paved, macadamized, and maintained by the Crown. I want trade to flow like blood between cities."
Ordoñez studied the map. "That would cost…"
"A fortune," Lancelot acknowledged. "But the Crown Trust Bank will cover it. And I've secured the support of several wealthy nobles—knighted recently, as I'm sure you've heard."
"I… have, yes," Ordoñez said, mouth twitching in what might've been a smile.
"I will need your ministry to begin survey work immediately. Terrain, materials, labor estimates. Bring me a proposal in two weeks. I'll approve funding then."
The minister hesitated. "Two weeks… is very little time."
"You've had your entire life to dream of a project like this, haven't you?" Lancelot asked, meeting his eyes. "Now's the time to act."
Ordoñez exhaled slowly. "Yes. Yes, it is."
"Good," Lancelot said, standing. "I expect reports on my desk. I want to break ground within a month."
He moved to leave, but paused at the door. "Don Ignacio."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"I don't need you to flatter me," Lancelot said. "I just need you to build roads that last a hundred years."
Ordoñez stood straighter. "Then I will give you roads that will outlast kings."
As they exited the ministry building, Alicia leaned close. "That went smoother than expected."
"Because Ordoñez is a technician, not a politician," Lancelot replied. "He's spent too long waiting for permission. All I had to do was give it."
"Still–I didn't expect that your first official act that has no regards with money is renovating our road network systems," Alicia commented.
"Roads are vital for the future, Alicia, is what makes our country united and strong. Without those, how will I be able to govern all of Aragon?"
"The people are loyal to the crown, Your Royal Highness," Alicia said.
Prince Lancelot shook his head. "Look at our neighbor on top of us, the Kingdom of Francois. The people there are starving and are dangerously leaning towards revolution. I don't think people would have loyalty to anyone if their stomachs are empty."
"That makes sense, Your Royal Highness," Alicia agreed with Lancelot's views. "Still, if you want to change the country, Your Royal Highness, perhaps we should start reforming our tax systems. It's been almost a year since we talked about why we shouldn't outright tax the clergy and nobility and instead opted to play it safe by establishing RTC, the Sacred Investment Act, and the Knight's Order Reform."
Lancelot hummed in thought. Yes, it had been almost a year since they last talked about that. The reason he did that was simple, he doesn't want to anger a class of people that would finance his industrialization. But playing it long has its own consequences such as the third estates, who are literally everyone else who are peasants but with a minority of educated lawyers, businessmen, doctors, et cetera.
"I will think about it once we return to the palace, Alicia," Lancelot said.
"If you need any help, Your Highness, I will be ready to assist you."
"Thank you."