The next day, Miguel was in his office, restless. The barony was in danger, and he knew he needed something innovative to stop the approaching army. He needed a projectile for the catapult that was more effective than simple stones. Something that would cause a great impact and could change the course of the battle. As he thought, an idea began to take shape in his mind. What if he created an explosive projectile? But for that, he would need gunpowder.

Miguel stood up and began to pace back and forth. "Gunpowder... where am I going to find gunpowder in this feudal world?" he murmured to himself. He knew that gunpowder was made up of some basic ingredients, but the question was where to get those ingredients and how to mix them correctly. He sat down again and picked up a piece of paper and a quill. He began to write down the basic ingredients of gunpowder.

"Charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate..." he wrote.

He knew that charcoal was relatively easy to find, as it was already being produced in the barony's furnaces. Sulfur, on the other hand, could be a bigger challenge, but he remembered that some types of volcanic soil, like the volcanic ash they had collected earlier, could contain sulfur. Potassium nitrate, or saltpeter, would be the hardest to obtain, but he knew it could be extracted from natural deposits or even produced from organic waste.

He knew that his knowledge of chemistry was limited and that stabilizing the mixture would be a challenge. The exact proportion of these ingredients and how they were mixed could significantly affect the efficacy and safety of the final product. It would be necessary to conduct several tests to ensure that the gunpowder worked as desired without causing more problems than solutions.

With the basic recipe noted, Miguel began to think about the next steps. He would need to find sulfur and potassium nitrate. Additionally, he would need to create a safe environment to conduct the tests, as gunpowder was highly volatile and dangerous.

As he made his notes, a renewed determination took hold of Miguel. If he could create these explosive projectiles, he could give his new kingdom a chance to survive the impending offensive. He knew that success was not guaranteed, but the desperate situation required desperate measures.

Miguel looked at the paper with the recipe and took a deep breath. He was about to embark on yet another risky venture, but he knew he had no other choice. The freedom and safety of his people depended on it.

Miguel was in the mansion's courtyard, where the morning sun shone brightly, casting soft shadows on the ground. In front of him, he had a wooden bucket full of charcoal pieces, ready to be turned into powder. This was the first step in the production of gunpowder, and he knew he needed to be meticulous to ensure that each ingredient was in the correct form.

He picked up a heavy mallet, feeling the comfortable weight in his hand. He looked at the bucket of charcoal and focused, knowing that patience would be essential. He placed the bucket on the ground, securing it with his feet so it wouldn't move while he worked. Then, he began to strike the pieces of charcoal with the head of the mallet.

Each blow reverberated in the courtyard, echoing through the air. Miguel applied constant but controlled force, breaking the larger pieces of charcoal into smaller fragments. After a few minutes of effort, he began to notice that the pieces were turning into a mixture of small fragments and coarse powder. This was not enough; he needed the charcoal to be reduced to a fine and uniform powder.

He tilted the bucket slightly to the side and continued to hammer, applying more pressure. The charcoal began to disintegrate more easily now that the larger fragments had been broken. The black powder accumulated at the bottom of the bucket, and Miguel noticed the smoothness of the material when he used his fingertips to feel the texture.

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"Slow and steady," he thought. With each blow, he visualized the final goal: charcoal powder as fine as possible. He continued hammering, pausing occasionally to shake the bucket and ensure that the larger pieces didn't get stuck at the bottom. The powder rose in small black clouds each time he stirred the contents, covering his hands and arms with a light layer of soot.

After about an hour of continuous work, Miguel felt that he was close to the desired result. He poured the contents of the bucket into a fine sieve he had prepared. Using a spatula, he began to press and rub the charcoal through the sieve, ensuring that only the finest powder passed through.

The powder that accumulated in the container below the sieve was smooth and uniform, exactly as he needed. Miguel smiled, satisfied with the progress. He knew this was just the first step, but each small victory was crucial. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, leaving a black stain on his skin due to the soot.

With the charcoal powder ready, Miguel carefully picked up the container, taking it back to his office. Now, he needed to think about the next steps: finding sulfur and potassium nitrate. But for now, he could be proud of having completed the first part of the gunpowder creation process.

He felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, but also the determination to protect his new kingdom. Each step forward was a step closer to ensuring the freedom and safety of all who depended on him.

---

Miguel met with a local farmer, determined to obtain potassium nitrate, an essential ingredient for gunpowder. Knowing that the decomposition of organic matter was key, he asked the farmer about the fate of the animals' waste on the farms.

"What do you do with the animals' waste?" Miguel asked, looking directly at the farmer.

"We usually pile it all together with dry branches and leaves. We let it decompose over time," the farmer replied, a robust man with a sun-weathered appearance.

A satisfied smile appeared on Miguel's face. He knew he was on the right track. "Can you take me to the place where you do this?" he asked.

The farmer nodded, and Miguel, accompanied by Ricardo and a few guards, followed the man. The place was a little away from the town, and the group rode at a steady pace, passing through fields and small hills. Finally, they arrived at an isolated area where a large pile of decomposing waste and organic matter had accumulated.

"Here it is," said the farmer, pointing to the pile. It was an impressive sight, a mix of animal waste, dry branches, and leaves, all in various stages of decomposition.

Miguel dismounted his horse and approached the pile, picking up a long branch from the ground. He began to stir the pile, turning over the material. The smell was strong and pungent, but he didn't mind. He knew what he was looking for.

As he stirred the pile, the decomposing organic matter revealed itself to be rich in nutrients. Miguel smiled to himself, knowing that this would serve perfectly to obtain potassium nitrate.

---

Miguel was determined to obtain the potassium nitrate needed for the gunpowder. With a wooden bucket in his hands, he approached the large pile of decomposed organic matter, guided by the farmer. The guards watched closely as he carefully chose a portion of the pile that seemed to be in the most advanced stage of decomposition. Using a shovel, he filled the bucket with the dark, foul-smelling matter.

Returning to the town, Miguel knew that the next step was crucial. He would need to extract the potassium nitrate from the decomposed organic matter, and this required a process of washing and evaporation. In an open space near the mansion's courtyard, he prepared the site to begin the procedure.

First, he filled a large wooden barrel with water. He poured the bucket's contents into the barrel, stirring with a long stick to ensure the organic matter mixed thoroughly with the water. The goal was to allow the potassium nitrate salts to dissolve in the water, creating a nitrate-rich solution.

After mixing the organic matter with the water, Miguel let the solution sit for several hours. During this time, the potassium nitrate salts would dissolve in the water, separating from the solid organic material. While he waited, he inspected other aspects of the courtyard, thinking about the next steps and how each component would fit into his larger plan.

After a few hours, Miguel returned to the barrel. He used a sieve to filter the solution, removing the solid residues and leaving only the nitrate-rich water. He then transferred the filtered solution to a large iron pan. With Ricardo's help, they placed the pan over a fire, starting the evaporation process.

The water began to boil, and Miguel watched closely, occasionally stirring the solution with a long wooden spoon. The goal was to slowly evaporate the water, leaving the potassium nitrate crystals to form at the bottom of the pan. As the water evaporated, a thin white layer of crystals began to form on the surface and edges of the pan.

Miguel, with a satisfied smile, knew he was on the right track. He continued the evaporation process until all the water had been removed, leaving behind a significant amount of white potassium nitrate crystals. Carefully, he collected the crystals and transferred them to a clean container.

"We did it, Ricardo," said Miguel, showing the potassium nitrate to his side. "Now we have two of the three essential ingredients."

Ricardo was still confused about what Miguel was doing but decided to help anyway.

Meanwhile, Miguel knew that each step taken was a step forward in defending his new kingdom. He wiped his hands and looked at the sky, determined to continue, regardless of the challenges he would still face.