"Princ.i.p.al Hydle, I"m really sorry to disturb you so late at night." In front of an old yard door with ivy vines climbing all over it, Scheer was looking at Hydle with an apologetic expression on her face."Not at all, Young Mistress. You"ve always been supporting our research, so it"s no issue if you request to meet with me at any time of the day." Hydle hurriedly waved his hands in response. He looked at Scheer with a hesitant expression, and asked, "Young Mistress Scheer, could it be that you"re asking me these questions because someone has already developed a steam engine?"
"I"m not particularly sure of that myself yet, but I"ll notify you as soon as I can confirm things on my end," Scheer replied with a smile.
"That would be great. If someone really has managed to develop a steam engine, that would be an occasion that"s very much worthy of celebration." Hydle nodded with a smile.
Scheer looked at Hydle with a perplexed expression, and asked, "Princ.i.p.al, you"ve expended years of time and effort on this project; wouldn"t you feel sad if someone else developed a steam engine before you?"
"Why would I be sad? I"ve indeed worked on this project for many years, but I"ve never made any significant breakthroughs. Mr. Mag provided us with some suggestions recently, but we"re still very far away from creating a finished product. If someone can make a steam engine now, then this is a major breakthrough and that"s very much worthy of celebration." Hydle shook his head with a smile.
A smile also appeared on Scheer"s face as she nodded, and said, "Princ.i.p.al Hydle, if you require any funding in your future projects, you can come and find me."
"Then I"ll thank you in advance, Young Mistress Scheer." Hydle nodded with a smile.
"I"ll be taking my leave now." Scheer got onto her horse-drawn carriage and departed.
"If someone really has produced a steam engine, then that means the direction I"ve been working toward in these past years was correct. I wonder who has managed to develop a steam engine, though. Once Young Mistress Scheer reveals that information to me, I"ll be sure to pay the inventor a visit and discuss some ideas," Hydle murmured to himself as he stood in front of the door.
Scheer was also murmuring to herself in her carriage. "He is a truly dedicated researcher. I hope Mr. Mag isn"t simply taking the fruit of their research to try and swindle me."
…
Within Moreton Manor, in a study that was filled with shelves full of account books.
Jeffree was getting changed with the a.s.sistance of the family butler. Cyril stood beside him with a vehement look on his face, and said, "Father, that accursed Gloria completely sided with Scheer during the banquet tonight, and swept the dignity of our Moreton Family to the ground! She"s also making an extremely selfish donation without any regard for our family"s estate. Also, there"s definitely something going on between her and Mag. I don"t think she"s suitable to continue to act as a candidate to the family heirloom and the owner of Blue Suede Textiles Shop."
"Slap!"
A crisp slap rang out within the room.
The butler quickly exited the room with Jeffree"s clothes in his hands and closed the door behind him as he left.
Jeffree withdrew his trembling hand and glared coldly at Cyril, who had a red handprint on his face, and had only prevented himself from falling by leaning on the desk for support. "Do you know why I hit you?"
Cyril had a hand clasped over his face, and was rather dizzy. Jeffree rarely ever struck him, and listening to Jeffree"s voice now, Cyril felt as if he had been plunged into a glacial pit.
"The one who swept our family"s dignity to the ground at the banquet tonight wasn"t Gloria; it was you, you useless b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Instead, she was the one who recovered some sc.r.a.ps of dignity for us so that at the very least, people wouldn"t think that our Moreton Family is a family of fools! How dare you slander her like this as her uncle? I think you"re the one who doesn"t deserve to be a candidate to inherit the family heirloom!" Jeffree said in a cold voice.
Cyril"s expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and he immediately fell to his knees. He threw his arms around Jeffree"s leg, and sobbed, "Father, I"m sorry! I"ve realized my mistakes; I truly have this time!"
"p.i.s.s off!" Jeffree kicked Cyril to the ground, and continued, "I began my first foray into entrepreneurs.h.i.+p at 12 years old, and I"ve had to be extremely careful with my words and actions along the way in order to acc.u.mulate such a ma.s.sive estate. You don"t ever think about striving for improvements, and all you do is wallow in complacency and cause trouble for me and the family no matter what you do. If I leave the family in your hands, you"ll lead it to ruin sooner or later!"
Cyril"s face paled as he rolled up onto his knees again. He didn"t dare to throw his arms around Jeffree"s leg again, so he slapped himself over and over again as he sobbed, "Father, I"ll change… I"ll definitely change! From this day forth, I won"t cause any more trouble for you, and I"ll strive to improve myself… I know the errors in my ways…"
Jeffree looked at Cyril with a cold expression. Only after Cyril had slapped himself to the extent that his face was beginning to swell up did he continue, "Remember what happened today. If I hear you doing anything to put the Moreton Family"s name into disrepute again, I"m going to kick you out of Moreton Manor!"
"Yes! Yes!" Cyril hurriedly nodded as he heaved an internal sigh of relief.
"Don"t think that you"re not off the hook quite now!" A cold smile appeared on Jeffree"s face as he pulled out a thick accounts book from one of the nearby shelves, and slammed it onto the table as he said, "These are the account books of the businesses you"ve been handling in the past few years. You thought that you could swindle me by manipulating the figures in these account books, yet you failed to realize the accountant always keeps two copies of the same account book!
"I"m not going to punish you for all of the money you"ve taken from those businesses in these past few years, but from this day forth, I"m taking back all of those businesses from you. Kerry"s Forge has been making neither profits nor losses in the past two days; I"m giving you 20 days from now to make it a profitable business. If the money on the forge"s account exceeds that of the Blue Suede Textiles Shop, then I"ll return all of these businesses to you. If the Blue Suede Textiles Shop has more money on their account by the end of the 20 days, then I"ll give all of these businesses to Gloria."
Cyril"s expression was quite strained, but he still gritted his teeth and nodded at the sight of Jeffree"s implacable look. "Yes."
"Don"t think about playing any dirty little tricks. If you can"t even beat a woman fair and square, then you"re not worthy of inheriting the Moreton Family." Jeffree looked at Cyril with a warning in his eyes before exiting the room.
"Gasp…" Cyril slowly rose to his feet with a hand over his cheek. He laid both hands on the desk and looked at the accounts book with a twisted expression as he murmured to himself, "You"ve never trusted me, old man. Even that little brat, Scheer, has already inherited the Buffett Family, yet you"re making me fight over this position with a little girl…"
…
"Princess! Princess…"
Firis rushed into a s.p.a.cious cave, and caught sight of Irina squatting down in front of the Tree of Life, seemingly in the process of starting a fire. Firis" footsteps faltered as she sniffed the air, and she asked, "Princess, are you burning something?"
Irina was holding a tree branch with a serious look on her face as she replied, "I"m making roast chicken. Alex loved my roast chicken in the past. When I find them, I"m going to cook roast chicken for them every single day."
Firis looked at the roast chicken on the branch, which had almost been roasted into an unrecognizable chunk of charcoal already. With a complex look on her face, she asked, "Are you really going to do that?"