It was a joyous occasion for ViTech and its employees. All celebrated the first new step into the spotlight and per Vivian's instruction, they expected to get really busy from the following day.
Many aspiring inventors will approach ViTech for support, some with mad ideas and others with real hopes and dreams. Their next mission was to separate the wheat from the chaff. So, new employees needed to be hired for interviews and testing ideas, people with scientific and technological backgrounds, and now was the best opportunity to make an employment campaign right when the iron was still red.
But these are tomorrow's missions, today's mission is to eat food and make friends. Vivian was standing right next to Isabella as they conversed with the professors who kept saying all kinds of nerdy things and Vivian was witnessing how Isabella was handling these people even though she doesn't understand 10% of what they say.
"Lady Vivian, today was a pleasant surprise." A female professor approached Vivian with an ice cream bulb in her hand.
"Professor Ansley Graham, the woman who eluded me for an entire week." Vivian faced the professor and smiled wryly, "How do you find a De Clare party?"
"The rumors didn't give the truth justice. Truly there is no end to what money can do." The woman said with an obvious hint of envy.
Vivian has always found that Ansley Graham woman to be unpleasant despite her great need for someone with her skills. Professor Ansley Graham is the leading expert on Chemistry and someone who is considered a genius in the field, albeit her attitude is selfish and greedy.
"Well, my dear Professor, that's why I am here. With minds like yours and money like mine, we can make the world a better place."
"I guess you are right. Sadly, a selling idea like Bellfield's light technology is hard to come by." She said.
"Unless I fork out a sweet idea from Vivian's stash to help grease the wheels." Vivian replied.
"My Lady, I am sure we will be good friends." Professor Ansley spoke with glee and provided her own takes, "I was thinking of fuel. A new efficient way to make those machines that are loved by the Moore Conglomerate hum with more vigor, what do you think?"
"What kind of fuel are we talking about?" Vivian asked.
"A combustible form of hydrocarbon extract created by fractional distillation. Please don't let the definitions startle you, it is a simple…" Professor Ansley said and tried to outsmart Vivian.
"Paraffin?" Vivian asked.
The professor frowned.
"Yes, the Lady is familiar with Paraffin?"
"I was reading about it in some historical record, the white naphtha, as it was called by its discoverers a few centuries ago."
Seeing how informed Vivian is, Professor Ansley seemed to be trying to change her approach.
"Since Lady Vivian has such great insight, I am sure you'll be pleased to know that I have been researching a few ways to turn Paraffin and other crude oil extracts into practical replacements for coal and other fuels. But since these forms are all liquid, I am facing many challenges and I wanted to get inspired by the technicians and the engineers who work for you."
As Vivian listened to the professor, her mind raced, and started to weigh the losses and benefits of such an investment. This Paraffin that Professor Ansely was developing is Kerosene oil, and the designs she is looking for are probably internal combustion engines.
If Vivian were to join hands with Professor Ansley, such late technology would have been introduced a few centuries earlier than it should have. On the other hand, Vivian was aware of the effects such technology would cause.
Whether technological, strategic, or environmental, things will start to change too fast.
"Actually, I wanted to partner up with you for something in the opposite direction, Professor." Vivian said, fully making her firm stance against Professor Ansley's goals.
"How so?" The Professor asked with an obvious frown.
"How often do you pass through the impoverished districts near the factories?" Vivian asked.
"From time to time… not sure when was the last time though. Why is that?"
"As proximity to the factories increases, the living conditions tend to deteriorate. As a scientist yourself, you don't need me to tell you the reasons."
"It is true… aside from the constant noises of the coal engines, there are always heavy transportation and smoke that tend to deteriorate the state of living around industrial areas." The professor agreed.
"Transportation aside, as this falls upon the cities to make better streets, how do you think about providing quick solutions for the coal and smoke problems? Unlike Professor Bellfield's light bulb which will be sold in large quantities for little money, you can provide a service that can only be sold to factory owners with a premium price tag on top of that."
The Professor paused for a while after listening to Vivian's idea. It sounded promising but…
"There is no market for such services. No one is simply demanding them for others to make a supply."
"Let me worry about that, Professor. Aside from this idea, I also have some ideas for spreading awareness among people against the harmful chemicals that are being used every day. If by any good chance, we can make replacements for such harmful chemicals, we can also make a lot of money."
"I'll… have to think about it, Lady Vivian. If you excuse me, I'll go join my husband."
Vivian and the professor parted ways and it seemed that the latter was upset somehow. As she came for fuel, Vivian asked for unconventional things like awareness against chemicals and improving factory methods of handling fuels.
Vivian wasn't some die-hard environmentalist or a clean energy enthusiast, but someone else is, someone who may become very influential and start targeting the Moores for their nature-destroying factories. The one and only Heroine, Matilda.
Since the Prince's route was practically over, Vivian wasn't sure how the next content would unfold. Which capture target will the air-headed Heroine go for next? At one of the routes that isn't even related to Vivian, the Heroine will cause direct damage to the business of the Moores. As for Robert's route, which worries Vivian the most, Count Julian will be featured as a bad guy whose greed causes a lot of tragedies when his factories start producing fumes that cause a lot of diseases in the impoverished residential districts near his factories like cancer, respiratory infections, asthma, tuberculosis, cataracts, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This will be one of the reasons Robert replaces his father as head of the house at the end of his route.
Vivian aimed to challenge the narrative and stop any potential danger from causing harm to her father. If she were to introduce Kerosene on top of the existing coal energy, even though Kerosene is way cleaner, things wouldn't go well. At least this Kerosene idea can wait after the basic precautions are put in order first.
While Vivian was organizing her thoughts, she was approached at high speed by one flustered and panicking Isabella de Clare.
To cause such a woman to be in that state, Vivian was in serious fear for her life.
"Viv! Viv! Your father is here! What should I do? Do I look good? Oh God! I feel sweaty. Do I smell bad? Is it that obvious? Help me!"
"Oh dear!" Vivian shook her head.
Count Julian seemed to have entered Alba's fashion house and Isabella was already in meltdown mode.
"If the hottest girl in town is such a mess, what would the rest of us do?"
"Awe, you think I'm hot?"
"Don't start."
"That's a nice way to think of your stepmother."
"You know what, Bella? One day in the future when the erotic stepmom troupe gets out of hand and they try to trace it back to its source, they're going to find you, the first of the sultry stepmoms."
"Viv, your flirting skills are ahead of their time. You keep giving me nice ideas."
"Ugh!"
Putting the ovulating friend aside, Vivian had to be ready for the new visitor.
It had been a couple of hours since the show was over and it seemed that the Count had returned for some reason. Since that's the case, things have to be put in order when such a VVIP joins this party.
Vivian called for Professor Bellfield to be present when the Count arrived since he is the most important figure in today's event.
And so the count walked into the party with a light escort of knights. Receiving him were Vivian, Isabella, Valentine, and Professor Wilhelm Bellfield.
"Vivian, this is way too official! I was simply paying a visit." Count Julian walked into the spacious room as all the attendees were standing in order.
"Lord Father, there is the least we can do." Vivian replied.
"Your Lordship, we are most pleased to receive you in Alba's fashion house." Isabella immediately followed up after Vivian.
"Lady Isabella, such a lovely speech you delivered today." The count smiled towards Isabella before turning to the one beside her, "Young Valentine, how is your father?"
"Lord Father is in perfect health, your Lordship. This morning, he mentioned inviting you to the next hunt at the spring palace." Valentine replied.
"I have just received the invitation when I got home. Deliver an informal reply to your father that I'll be there."
"Yes, your Lordship." Valentine slightly bowed.
Finally, the Count faced Professor Bellfield.
"I have heard a lot about you, Professor. It is an immense honor to know that you have partnered up with my daughter's business."
"The Right Honorable Count Moore, such an honor is solely mine." The Professor replied with a formal bow.
"And the lights of today, let there be light. That was a genius move." The Count spoke with ecstasy.
"I am afraid I can't take any credit for that, your Lordship. Lady Vivian is a natural at picking the right phrases." The Professor replied.
"I know, she has that talent." The Count turned to Vivian and smiled, "What about the Lights, why were they off when I returned?"
"Our capabilities to produce enough power for such a number of lamps are rudimentary at best. We are still working on the technology to make a constant supply of electrical power and Lady Vivian had an ingenious plan for it." The Professor said.
"Let's take our seats before discussing such a plan first, that alone may take us hours." Vivian had to interrupt in order not to make sure nobody knew a bit too much about her plans.
"Yes, let's sit down first. Please, don't stand for me, gentlemen, my ladies. I'll just have a word with my daughter before joining."
The Count spoke in a very humble tone towards the professors and the men of science. As someone who keeps an open eye for talents in every field, this place just now is like heaven to him and he displayed his excitement to converse with the best and brightest of Elgard.
"Your Lordship, I shall prepare the best table for you. Do you like it by the balcony where you can smell fresh air or under the glass dome for the sight of the stars and moon?" Isabella asked the Count as the crowd started to disperse.
"I'll take whatever you pick, Lady Isabella. I was excited to meet with Mr. Sedric Lee Alba but I was told he's out of town."
"Yes. Mr. Sedric, my partner… b-business partner… he's out of town. I… am the only one you can talk to here… about business."
"All I can say to you is that I am glad you are looking after Vivian like you have always had. She couldn't have even hoped for a better friend or sister even." The Count said, complementing Isabella's effort.
Vivian felt a little bit awkward about that sister part but seeing how Isabella was still over the moon with joy, she decided to keep her hands out of this weird situation.
And now it was only Vivian and her father, Count Julian walked with Vivian alone to the side and spoke to her.
"Congratulations, Vivian."
"Thank you, daddy."
"Heh!" The Count let out a short laugh as his eyes checked the people around, "You have made quite the gathering. If these people agree to come together, you can do a lot of good for the world."
"Good, evil, the hands of man are skilled the most at weaponizing everything it gets its hands on. This group of people is one I must be careful with the most." Vivian replied.
"True. But I am sure I can trust you." He said then let out a sigh before looking his daughter right in the eye, "As I went home, the sight of those light bulbs couldn't escape my mind, I couldn't eat or drink and found myself returning here again. To my disappointment, the old gas lamps were the ones working."
"As Professor Bellfield said, we lacked the energy to continue for more than 30 minutes actually." Vivian replied.
"Yes, that energy, you called it electricity. I am most curious. What are its limits?" He asked.
Hearing a hint of greed in her father's voice, the greed she wanted to avoid in order to keep him out of harm's way, Vivian became hesitant.
"My plan is to produce an alternating electric current which is a fresh idea to most of the professors here. Rather than relying on a single professor, the goal of today's event is for specific individuals to meet and brainstorm over some fancy De Clare pastries. There is a lot of promise in researching electromagnetism which will lead to what I believe to be the first electromagnetic generator." She said.
"These are big words even for me, Vivian." The Count said and narrowed his eyes, "But you still haven't answered me, how big can you go?"
"If it is a smooth sail, the only limit will be the fuel needed to fire up those machines." Vivian spoke truthfully, even while knowing that her father's enthusiasm may get the best of him.
She hated to lie to him and more importantly, she wanted to be able to leverage his opinion regarding the situation.
"Coal?" He asked.
His question about the type of fuel made her tight-hearted for a second before nodding.
But unlike what she expected, her Father's face didn't light up. Rather, he didn't seem to like what he heard.
"Something wrong?" She asked.
"No… not at all." He replied with a smile, "If the electrical power you speak of can at least help us reduce our reliance on coal, it will be even better. I hope you succeed."
Vivian couldn't believe what was going on and held her father's hand for him not to go.
"Wait!" She said and looked at him right in the eyes, "Reliance on coal? You want me to find an alternative energy source to coal."
He looked at her and then turned left and right before nodding with serious eyes.
"You… the King's Councilman of Industry wants to get rid of coal. I don't understand."
To her bewilderment, Count Julian acted outside of his calm and collected nature. He grabbed her by the shoulders and suddenly took her behind a pillar before anyone could see or hear them.
"Vivian, speaking those words to anyone is treason to the crown."
"What?"
"You must understand, Vivian. Coal is not our family's blood, it is its curse."
"How, Father?"
"Who do you think supplies us with coal to make our steam engines run?" He asked her with a serious face as his violet eyes shone with dangerous light.
Vivian was scared of her father's sudden change but he was serious like nothing before.
"Well… we are partnered with a few companies, especially the ones in Morvish Highlands where the nearest coal mines exist… and from the colonies, I think the Blackguards haul them to us from the mines managed by… oh!"
Vivian was hit with a realization.
"The Graysons." She blurted.
"The Grayson parasites, yes." Her father nodded with obvious spite in his words.
House Grayson isn't only House Moore's rivals, they are bitter enemies with years of struggle between the two.
"The Graysons provide us with coal by the order of the King." Count Julian said.
"The King doesn't set the price though. I assume the Graysons are making quite the cash selling it to us." Vivian said.
"If the Graysons wanted it to be, they'd make us pay for every coal piece with its weight in gold. And by the decree of the King, we are not allowed to buy coal from anywhere else." The Count said and spoke with obvious anger, "That decree was put more than 300 years ago and it is still crippling us to this day."
"But in exchange, we can monopolize the industrial sector without limitations." Vivian said.
"Guess who is regretting that now." The Count asked.
"His Majesty it seems." Vivian replied.
"Yes. Back then, being an industry tycoon wasn't that much but the Hawks still soared to the sky with a leash of coal binding their talons. Either the King yanks it or the leash gets broken."
"But the consequences, Father, they won't be light." Vivian warned her Father.
"We can deflect anything so long the crown stays in our debt." The Count said.
Seeing how determined he was, Vivian thought and thought and thought.
It wasn't a simple matter now, he wanted to deal a blow to the Graysons and the Kings by converting the energy source from coal to something else.
That woman who wants to make Kerosene is still nearby but that's not the problem here.
"The energy source you want can't be a resource harvested from a mine. While we have a monopoly over industry, the Graysons have a monopoly over coal mines and many natural resources. If we tried, for example, to harvest crude oil to make a new type of fuel, the Graysons will activate the right of monopoly and the King will take their side."
"Yes, that's practically true."
"I see." Vivian seemed to have been cornered with one last choice, "If we can't harvest, we can only take what is free. Inefficient as it may be, no one can monopolize it."
The Count frowned.
"So you have an alternative energy source?" He asked while holding his breath.
Vivian only nodded but her face seemed not sure.
"As I said, inefficient and very primitive technology but if we can develop it right, in a few years or by the next generation, it may be the thing you are looking for."
"And the Moores will be free?" He asked.
"The Moores will be free, the Graysons will be skint." She replied.
"I believe the world you are going for is bankrupt, daughter." The Father said with a gleeful smile.
"Bankrupt, skint, brassic, whatever you say, daddy." Vivian smiled back.
The Villainess and her father had a very dangerous air to them as they exchanged smiles. Her villainous genetics were indeed coming from her father's side.
By the next few days, the Moore Conglomerate started to lowkey purchase all the vacant industrial plots of land that are right next to the Great Ralin River that crosses through the city of Archester as well as a few acres of land at the high meadows a few miles south of Archester per Vivian's instructions.
It was time for energy to go green.