~6884 words
The morning started under a pall of melancholy.
Kiyotaka, Liv, Freya and Daisy made their way towards the Lysåsen Cemetery. This was a cemetery that was under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Church of Evernight Goddess. The appellation itself had roots in Scandinavian language, which roughly translated to Hill of Light.
This made him wonder if there was a transmigrator from the Scandinavia area who named it as such. It could be possible that the Evernight Goddess herself was a transmigrator, however, there was no sufficient proof in front of him to believe that, so he discarded the idea.
As the name suggested, Lysåsen Cemetery was located on the outskirts of Backlund on a tiny hillock. The influence of smog was minimal here, and the sun often used to shine bright on it.
They had made this journey here with some local workers who made Ada's grave and installed an inscribed tombstone with the epitaph: 'Hope outlived her suffering'
There were many flowers on her grave and after praying for a while, Liv and Daisy were sent back home. Meanwhile, Freya was asked to stay back with Kiyotaka.
With their obsequies paid, Kiyotaka and Freya sat inside a carriage. Freya had a small bag by her feet as the carriage began to trundle forward.
"Is everything I asked of you ready?"
Freya, who was a little nervous due to being inside the carriage, nodded with alacrity. "Yes Sir..."
It was the second time ever she had boarded a carriage. The first was when she was employed by Williams and ever since then, she had mostly stayed at home, except for the time when Kiyotaka tasked her with finding ingredients for crafting medicines.
She was not wearing her normal maid clothes today and was instead dressed in a slate-blue silk-poplin day dress with crisp and delicate pleating running down the length of the fitted dress.
The high, structured collar and snug cuffs were trimmed in plush midnight-blue velvet, anchored by a central line of polished mother-of-pearl buttons. Over her shoulders was a short matching capelet, pinned at the throat with a silver brooch.
A velvet-trimmed straw bonnet was tied beneath her chin with a wide ribbon, partially shading her long brown eyes while her hair was dressed in a side part. It was a dress Kiyotaka had selected for her, for whatever reason it was.
Freya kept stealing glances at her reflection in the glass window.
The damp coldness of Backlund was able to penetrate through one's bones.
While they were inside the carriage, Kiyotaka picked up a newspaper and began reading it. On the second page, there was a big heading in bold letters: "National Affairs"
"It is with the deepest regret that we announce the passing of His Grace Duke Pallas Negan, who departed this life two days ago at his main residence after a sudden decline in health. He was sixty-three years of age.
Official statements released by the Negan household indicate that His Grace's condition deteriorated unexpectedly during the evening preceding his passing. The family has requested privacy as they observe the customary period of mourning.
Expressions of condolence have continued to arrive over the past two days from members of the Royal Court, both Houses of Parliament, the principal noble families of the Kingdom, and numerous civic organizations.
Flags upon several government buildings have been lowered to half-mast in recognition of the loss sustained by the nation.
The Right Honorable Prime Minister was absent from several public engagements following the announcement and is expected to resume his official duties later this week.
In accordance with the laws and traditions governing hereditary succession, Lord Adrian Negan, eldest son of the late Duke, has inherited the title and has been formally recognized as the new Duke of Negan. The transfer of the family's estates and responsibilities is expected to proceed without interruption.
Preparations are presently underway for a funeral service to be held within the week. It is anticipated that members of the Royal Family, senior ministers, representatives of both Houses of Parliament, military officers, foreign envoys, and peers from across the Kingdom will attend the ceremony."
Kiyotaka looked at the news and hummed.
'Pallas Negan died? Is this the work of some secret organization? He was already being targeted by Jason Beria. While this is just a theory since Jason Beria was killed before he could be interrogated by the Nighthawks and his body is currently in the custody of MI9, it's still what was expected.
It is only natural that if his assassination was thwarted, then they would send others to finish the job. However, what's concerning is that if they know who foiled Jason Beria's plan and had him killed, they are going to go after me next.
I might have to leave Backlund for some time until things settle down. The winters have gotten quite intense anyways... Well, let's leave by the end of December. November has almost ended, so leaving right now isn't worth it.
Once I pay back all of the loan I have taken from Prometheus Motors, I have to leave under a new identity.'
Raising his brows, Kiyotaka turned the newspaper. As he did, he saw Freya staring at him intently.
"Do you have anything to say?"
The question caught her off guard and her thin fingers instinctively gathered a fold of her skirt before she quickly looked away. "N-No..." she murmured, only to glance back at his gloved hand. "I was just wondering... has your hand recovered?"
"It has, for the most part." He slipped off the glove and held his hand out for her to inspect.
The wound had closed by now but it had definitely left its mark. Thick scar tissue spread across the back of his hand while faint blue-green bruising lingered beneath the pale skin, and the flesh that had once been blown away had somehow grown back. "Thanks to you."
"I'm... happy I could help." A soft, girlish grin kept lingering on her lips as it quivered each time she tried to press it away.
Kiyotaka turned his attention back to the newspaper.
PROMETHEUS MOTORS: Once hailed as the fastest-selling product in recent memory, the company's Alcohol-fueled automobiles have begun to lose momentum following their unprecedented commercial success. Financial Analysts remain divided on whether demand has simply reached market saturation or if the decline is merely a temporary correction. Neither Lead Engineer Leppard nor Chief Executive Williams J. Holmes has issued a statement.
'They are quite quick on the uptake. I suppose it makes sense, given how revolutionary it might appear to them and how a lot of Analysts are actively looking after the company. That said, it seems like Janus Engines has gone under the RADAR.'
Flipping the newspaper again, he saw some other news from around the Loen Kingdom. One of the news that did catch his eye was something around Desi Bay.
Several merchants in Desi Bay have recently expressed concern over irregular deliveries and unfamiliar faces appearing around the harbor district. While no accusations have been made and officials have offered no comment beyond stating that affairs remain "under observation," some residents have noted that activity along the eastern docks has increased after midnight.
The matter remains unremarked upon by most, though the watch continues its inquiries.
'Desi Bay? I was planning on running away there once I deal with things here for the winters... I hope it does not have anything related to Beyonders. Even if it is, I hope it's gone before I arrive there. I can't deal with things such as this on my vacation.'
Residents of Sivellaus Street were unsettled yesterday following the discovery of an unidentified, dismembered corpse in a neglected section of the district. Initial rumors of a possible serial killer spread among locals; however, Deputy Commissioner Conard has dismissed such speculation, stating that the matter appears unrelated to any recent homicides.
Officials have suggested that the suspect may have been connected to certain unsavory and deviant activities. More peculiar still, records from the Death Registrar indicate that the man had been dead for nearly a month prior to the discovery of his remains.
Authorities have yet to provide further details.
'This must be Rafter Pound, or rather Red Angel Evil Spirit. What I don't understand is that why the Red Angel Evil Spirit needs the body of a deceased person.
The carriage soon stopped in front of a long warehouse that was emanating loud and clangorous noises. Kiyotaka placed the newspaper down and opened the door himself before helping Freya down by offering his gloved hand.
The thin girl was taken aback, however, she smiled shyly to herself.
'Sir is such a gentleman.'
Freya followed him inside.
The inside stank with the smell of alcohol, as well as sweat, grime and every other repulsive thing.
However, having lived in East Borough, it did not affect Freya much. Despite her imperviousness to the situation, it soured her mood since Kiyotaka had applied a sweet perfume to her and walking through here made her worry that the effect would go away.
After about 2 minutes of walking, the two left the warehouse and then entered another one that was five minutes away from the first one. Peeking over Kiyotaka's shoulder, Freya noticed that there were multiple giant machines in the other half of the warehouse.
"These... these are the automobiles mentioned in newspapers!" Freya excitedly blurted out but then suddenly covered her mouth.
"They are." Kiyotaka replied without looking back.
"Is Sir going to buy one? Sorry... I do not wish to be obtrusive." Freya excitedly looked around but did not lose herself in it.
"Buy?" Kiyotaka turned around and looked into her beautiful, long brown eyes. "I made them."
Kiyotaka resumed his walk as Freya stayed rooted in her place. She could not believe her ears and for a moment assumed that he was merely joking or being sarcastic. However, when the person who looked to be the owner of the place bowed down to Kiyotaka, all of her doubts vanished into thin air.
"Good morning! Good morning, Williams! It's so, so good to see you again. It's been so long! I was getting so worried and paranoid... The newspaper... The newspaper guys are all over the place! I did not know what to do... Our sales are alright but, but—"
Kiyotaka placed a hand over the exasperated Leppard's shoulder and pressed it down. "Calm down. I apologize for disappearing, but I am back now. I will look into the matters myself."
"Oh- Oh thank God! I was so worried... I couldn't find a good assistant engineer for myself either... I need an assistant, or else I won't be able to do anything. This is too much for an old man such as me." Leppard kept droning.
Kiyotaka looked back over his shoulder and motioned towards Freya who was looking at everything with stars in her eyes. Huddling her senses, Freya quickly reached into the small bag she had brought with herself and took out a vial out of it.
Kiyotaka took it from her and suddenly thrusted it into Leppard's hands.
"I know you are stressed. That is why I brought you this, it will help you relax. I will handle the remaining matters myself."
Leppard looked at the vial and then after a moment of hesitation, uncorked the vial and then drank it. The effect felt almost instant as his sagging posture corrected itself and the dark circles underneath his eyes seemed to fade away in real time.
He looked at the vial and then at Kiyotaka. "This... This is miraculous!"
Kiyotaka looked at Freya from the corner of his eyes, however, he saw no reaction and turned his attention back towards Leppard and turned him around.
"This is Freya. She works for me."
Leppard looked at the girl from head-to-toe and nodded his head. "She will do. But Williams, she does not give me the feeling of an engineer. But since you brought her, I will give her a try."
"She is not an engineer. She is the one who made the medicine." Kiyotaka corrected.
"Ah... Well, it was a wondrous medicine, Freya! Nice to meet you! I am Leppard... Ugh... Looks like someone spilt the brake fluid again... Sorry, Mr. Williams, I will be back soon... I have to see which person split it. Its smell makes me really irritated."
Leppard took two steps away from him and was about to leave when he suddenly turned around and looked at Kiyotaka. "Ah, yes, someone from Parliament was here to meet you. I was about to deliver the letter to you myself, but thank the Gods... Oh thank Gods you arrived yourself... Ah, I have to leave!"
With that said, the busy man ran away, shouting at the workers.
Kiyotaka looked back at Freya. "Follow me."
Freya complied and the two entered the room that was designated for people such as this. While Kiyotaka was not sure which member of Parliament was here to meet him, he had expected this sooner or later.
Kiyotaka pushed open the oak door and stepped into the room where he had once negotiated with Count Hall in the presence of Miss Justice, or rather at that moment, Audrey Hall.
The room had changed since then as Leppard had done some revisions to the aesthetic.
Heavy burgundy curtains had been drawn apart as extremely weak winter sunlight illuminated a polished walnut table placed at the center of the room. A fire crackled quietly inside the hearth, dispelling much of the damp chill.
Sitting by the window was a man who appeared to be in his early forties.
His black hair had already begun to recede around the temples, revealing a broad forehead. His face was long and rather lean — opposite to that of Kiyotaka's.
The man was wearing a dark charcoal frock coat tailored to perfection, with a silver watch chain disappearing neatly into his waistcoat. Resting beside him was a black cane that looked more like a military officer's baton than a conventional walking cane.
The man did not react to Kiyotaka immediately and instead kept his attention on the mechanical drawing spread across the table.
It was one of the blueprints Leppard had drafted several weeks ago, however, even at a glance, Kiyotaka could tell there were many flaws in it.
The man's fingers rested lightly on the edge of the parchment as he traced the complicated lines.
Only after nearly five seconds did his head turn up as he removed his hand from the blueprint. He looked at Kiyotaka once, then Freya and then back at Kiyotaka.
"Mr. Williams," he greeted once recognition flashed across his face and inclined his head ever so slightly. "I hope my visit has not caused you too much inconvenience."
The man stood up and thrusted a firm hand towards Kiyotaka. "Maury Macht. It's a pleasure to see you in person."
Kiyotaka shook the man's hand. The inside of it was hard and calloused, which indicated that the man was either a hard working worker in the past, or was in the military. Regardless, Kiyotaka inclined his head as well.
"The pleasure is all mine." He replied as Freya stood by the door, clasping her hands in front of her. "I should instead apologize for keeping a Member of Parliament waiting."
Maury Macht observed him quietly.
Every report describing Williams J. Holmes had painted the same picture, and that was of a man who had a revelation about an idea in his dream and that he had brought his dream to reality. However, the young man in front of him looked anything but like that.
Due to his experience in the military and coming across other matters, he was able to tell at a glance that there was so much more to the blonde man other than just accidently coming across an idea in his dream.
Maury Macht could feel intelligence behind those pale eyes, intelligence that could make or break the future of the Loen Kingdom. It was only a few seconds, but he had already changed his opinion about Williams three times now.
"It was hardly an inconvenience," Maury replied with a faint smile. "Though I confess your workshop proved... considerably louder than the Parliament."
"I would imagine the debates there are louder."
A brief silence followed Kiyotaka's comment, but Maury's smile widened ever so slightly. "So they are."
Maury's eyes flicked towards the girl standing behind Kiyotaka. He could tell that she was not of the same status as Kiyotaka, or someone he knew, given how crude her mannerisms were. However, at the same time, looking at the expensive dress she was wearing, it did not appear as if she was a housemaid either.
There were many thoughts in his head, however, Maury maintained his smile.
Kiyotaka looked back at Freya who was still holding on to the small bag. Kiyotaka's eyes flicked towards the bag and then at the door.
Freya understood what he meant as she nodded to him and then bowed towards Maury before leaving without a word. Once the door was shut, the two were left inside the room all alone.
Kiyotaka gestured toward the chair on which Maury was sitting earlier and took the chair opposite to him. "Please."
On the table between them was a porcelain teapot that was steaming.
Maury reached out to it. "I hope you won't object if I pour."
"If tea is your choice of indulgence at the moment, I won't object. It is your tea."
Maury let out a scoff — not a condescending one — and poured himself and Kiyotaka half a cup of black tea. Pulling one of them towards himself and the other towards Kiyotaka, he parted his lips. "I would prefer not to listen to my wife's bickering early in the morning."
Kiyotaka nodded his head. There were next to none instances of a woman bickering to him, so he did not know how it felt. However, it was also because he was unmarried, and it was a trouble reserved mainly for married individuals.
However, there was something else about this interaction as well. Kiyotaka could tell that this man was a successful individual and a businessman, judging from his attire.
And powerful people rarely served others themselves, not because they considered it beneath them but because, in high-circles, every action carried some kind of underlying meaning.
By pouring the tea himself, Maury quietly dissolved the invisible barrier between a successful person related to the government and a private citizen. It suggested that today's meeting was not an interrogation nor an official summon.
It was an indication for Kiyotaka to relax and that Maury Macht was not here to establish himself as the superior person.
Rather, it implied that this was a negotiation, or perhaps... Maybe an introduction.
Kiyotaka accepted the cup. "Thank you."
Instead of the usual etiquette, Mary gripped his cup with both hands before speaking again. This was also a way of easing out Kiyotaka. However, this made him more suspicious than before.
"I must admit..." Mary's gaze wandered briefly toward the showroom outside that was visible through the tall glass window. "...you are younger than I expected."
"That is the first time I have heard that."
"I suspect you shall continue hearing it for quite some time." Maury replied after taking a small sip.
Kiyotaka did not reply and only offered a small nod. This was because his eyes were set on the man in front of him, as he kept deconstructing his identity.
'Former military — part of Parliament. Given his attire and the embellishments, he appears to be from the New Party which is trying to go against the Conservative Party and wants to boost Capitalism. The way he talked about his wife indicates that he is a believer of the Evernight Goddess.'
Meanwhile, Maury, who was formerly in the military, was also taking a preliminary judgement of Kiyotaka, now that he had seen him in person.
'Young, composed and dangerously difficult to read. Most men I have met that were beneath me always attempted to create favorable first impressions, but this man appeared entirely indifferent to whether one was formed at all. What an interesting person.'
Maury set his teacup down and cleared his throat. "You know, Mr. Williams, I've spent nearly twenty years speaking with inventors. Most arrive carrying a machine they insist will change the Kingdom."
A faint smile appeared on Maury's lips. "They generally require no more than five minutes before I discover they are, in truth, attempting to change their own fortunes."
His eyes drifted toward the window once again, where the distant rhythm of machinery continued echoing throughout the showroom and Leppard's panicked screams at a poor worker.
"You, however, have presented something considerably more troublesome."
Kiyotaka's expression remained unchanged. "Troublesome?"
"Indeed." Maury folded his hands atop the table. "We have spent the last three evenings reading every report we could get our hands on regarding Prometheus Motors." A sly look appeared on his face. "And Janus Engines."
"I had expected to find exaggeration, I apologize, since there usually is, however, instead, I found the opposite." His fingers lightly tapped the blueprint on the table. "The reports understated your achievements."
A brief moment of silence settled between them.
Both of them did not talk for a while. Maury was waiting to see whether Kiyotaka would volunteer information unnecessarily after hearing the world Parliament, however, he did not do it.
This was something that felt like baby tactics to Kiyotaka, something he had learnt in the beginning years of White Room.
Maury found the silence unexpectedly pleasant.
It reminded him of questioning officers during his military years as those who remained silent the longest were rarely the ones lacking confidence but rather they were deciding which version of the truth to present.
'What a crafty and smart young man.'
Maury smiled inwardly. Perhaps today's visit would prove more interesting than he had anticipated.
"Tell me, Mr. Williams." His voice became softer. "What do you believe Parliament exists to accomplish?"
It was not an ordinary question nor was it a rhetorical one.
Kiyotaka studied him for several seconds and several answers appeared in his mind.
'To represent the people? To legislate? To supervise the government? Each of them can satisfy a textbook definition, however, at this moment, that is not what this man is searching for. I can tell this much that he means no harm and is more interested in the company than me.
Should I entertain him then?'
Kiyotaka lowered his teacup and said: "I imagine the answer depends upon who is asking."
Maury's eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly. "Go on."
"A factory owner would likely say Parliament exists to protect commerce. A laborer might believe it exists to protect his livelihood. A noble would argue it preserves order. And a politician..." Kiyotaka paused and looked up to Maury and shrugged.
"I was hoping you'd tell me."
"Unnecessary trouble is something I avoid."
Maury let out a boisterous laugh in an uncharacteristic manner. "I come in absolute peace. And peace is what shall follow, no matter what you answer with."
Kiyotaka ruminated over his words. "No government possesses sufficient authority to pursue every objective by force. Parliament exists to persuade enough people that one particular future ought to become reality."
Maury paused and drank his tea in silence. It was the first time someone had explained Parliament in such a manner. Not only was this man intelligent, but he also had multiple worldviews — he could tell that much.
"You speak..." Maury observed carefully, "...as though you've given this a considerable thought."
"I read newspapers."
Maury laughed quietly. "So do half the Kingdom."
"I read them every day."
The reply was enough for Maury to not pry further into the question.
No intel on the young man had ever suggested that the young CEO sitting before him had a political instinct sharp enough to identify the purpose beneath institutions rather than merely their function — or at least its implied purpose.
Maury could tell that even Williams does not trust in what he had just said. It was the safest answer, covering all of the biases and loopholes, which left no further room for input.
Maury slowly leaned back into his chair. "I believe that this meeting shall take considerably longer than I originally intended."
"I assumed as much." Kiyotaka neither smiled nor appeared surprised.
Maury Macht did not immediately continue and instead, he picked up his cup of tea once again and took a small sip.
It was a deliberate and calculated action and not because he needed the drink. As a matter of fact, the tea had already cooled slightly, and yet he did not seem bothered by it.
A person who had spent years in politics understood the value of silence and in many negotiations, the person who spoke first after a meaningful statement often revealed more than they intended.
Since Kiyotaka understood this, he stayed silent but kept his full focus on Maury. After about two minutes, finally, the Member of Parliament placed the cup back down. "Mr. Williams."
"Yes?"
"I would like to ask you something regarding your invention."
'Here it comes. The way he has been talking so far indicates that he wants to invest in it, rather than buying it.'
"Yes?"
"What do you believe you have created?"
The question was strangely broad and it could mean almost anything.
Kiyotaka considered his response carefully. "A more efficient method of converting energy into mechanical work."
Maury stared at him and for a brief moment, there was genuine confusion in his eyes. The confusion was not because the answer was incorrect but because it was too modest.
"That is all?"
"It is the most aptly accurate answer I could think of."
A faint breath escaped Maury's nose. "Mr. Williams, there are men in this Kingdom who would describe the invention of a more comfortable chair as a revolution if it meant selling ten thousand of them."
Kiyotaka did not reply as he kept talking. Just as Maury was about to say something, he suddenly had another idea. A lot of people like Williams deliberately understated their achievements, to garner praise from others.
'Is Mr. Williams such a man as well?' Once again, in the span of a few minutes, Maury was about to change his opinion about him once again.
However, he discarded the idea.
It was quite clear that Williams did not appear interested in praise or money.
He had invented this revolutionary thing, purely for the sake of it. To him — to Williams — the engine was not a miracle but rather, it was simply the solution to a problem. That mindset was perhaps more dangerous than arrogance.
"Do you understand what steam means to this Kingdom?"
Kiyotaka nodded slightly. "Industry, transportation, manufacturing, military logistics and many other important things."
"More than that." Maury's voice became slightly more serious. "Steam represents the last century of progress. Progress that came directly from the Intis Republic after Emperor Roselle ushered humanity into a new era."
He turned his head toward the factory floor beyond the glass. "I do not like that man, however, every railway, mine, and factory is functioning because of his groundbreaking inventions. Every ship that crossed the seas carrying Loen's goods is based on his blueprints. Blueprints that arrived to us ages later than the Intis Republic, making us technologically inferior to them."
Maury's gaze intensified. "However, all of them were built upon the assumption that steam would remain the foundation, which is why, as you would definitely know, that man was called the Son of Steam."
He paused. "And now you have created something that challenges that assumption." Seeing the minimal change in Kiyotaka's expression, Maury stopped talking and leaned forward. "Do you disagree with what I just said?"
"No."
"Then?"
"I believe you are exaggerating the immediate impact. Steam engines have an established infrastructure." Kiyotaka calmly placed his cup down. "Factories already are in possession of boilers, railways already possess tracks designed around steam locomotives and workers are trained to maintain them while Coal suppliers have existing contracts."
Kiyotaka looked outside the window where Freya was distributing the vials she had brought with herself to the workers. After drinking them, all of them suddenly seemed to get rid of their hunchbacks and immediately began running everywhere at quite a fast speed.
"My engines may be superior in certain aspects, but superiority alone does not replace an established system. Besides, the energy output of an Alcohol-fueled engine is unable to pull something as heavy as a Steam Locomotive. The carcass could be changed, but the number of passengers it might be able to carry would be reduced too."
'This young man... He must be recruited. We cannot lose him!'
"You are the first inventor I've met who has spent more time considering why his invention might fail than why it might succeed." Maury commented.
Kiyotaka shrugged his shoulders.
It might've been a rude gesture, however, given how much Maury was talking to him, it was quite clear that this much would not put a dent in the future dealings.
However, Maury was not entirely right. Kiyotaka had considered success in this area, however, that would require a lot of time and effort. And in the process of that, it was quite possible to narrow him down.
Since he was heavily involved in the occult, making himself so visible was akin to standing in front of a mad bull, and letting it ram into you.
"I will get to the main point now and drop the formalities. I am from the New Party. What we possess is political influence, connections, liquid capital and legal authority. Meanwhile, you have a ready-made invention, patent and technical knowledge. After a brief talk with your Lead Engineer, it is quite clear that you are the main man behind all of this.
Neither of us could reach new heights without each other."
Kiyotaka shifted in his seat. "Wouldn't it have been better to send a delegation that specializes in this matter?"
"A fair question." Maury leaned back. "If I had sent a representative, you would assume the government wished to acquire your invention. If I sent a businessman as proxy for our party, you would have assumed that they wished to profit from it personally and if I had sent military officials, you would have assumed that they wished to take it forcefully and weaponize it."
"Isn't that the purpose of your visit?"
"True, but none of them would have answered the most important question. That is why I needed to come myself." Maury knew that Kiyotaka had realized the reason, but said it anyway. "Whether you are someone worth supporting in the first place."
Kiyotaka took a deep breath.
Mistaking it for exasperation, Maury shook his head. "I did not mean that as an insult."
"I did not take it as one."
"Good." Maury nodded. "Because inventions are not created by machines. They are created by people and people have ambitions..." He paused and looked outside at Freya, "...weaknesses, and people make mistakes. The Kingdom has already made the mistake of allowing valuable people to be consumed by their own success."
Kiyotaka understood what he meant. After all, history was filled with inventors who had died poor despite creating things that transformed civilizations.
It was not because their inventions lacked value but rather because they lacked protection.
"Is this an offer?"
Maury shook his head. "Perhaps, but I would lean towards no. Accommodating someone of your talents permanently would drain our wallets." He joked and kept talking. "You can be an unofficial member, without any permanent ties to us. Of course, it will come under its own clauses. But that too, would depend on your answers."
Kiyotaka hummed. He did not consent to answering his questions, but he did not outright refuse it either.
Maury placed a finger on the blueprint that was already on the table. "How many engines can your factory currently produce?"
"With the current workforce and equipment?"
"Yes."
"Approximately thirty per month."
Maury nodded. "And with additional investment?"
"Several hundred. But that would depend on the amount of investment and the availability of materials."
"Do not worry about that. Do you have any room for alterations to the design? Let's say, for example, a heavy plated armor capable of carrying... cavalry."
"It will need bigger engines, but it's possible."
Maury's eyes sparkled. "How long will it take to make the first prototype?"
"Six months." Kiyotaka answered instantly. He did not need to calculate it.
"I see. That's perfect."
Kiyotaka was a little lost at why this man suddenly transitioned from talking about politics to suddenly expanding military weaponry.
"It's perfect, because six months is the amount of time Loen has before every foreign intelligence service begins targeting you. Specifically Intis Republic."
"I assume," Kiyotaka said, "this is where Parliament becomes involved."
Maury's smile returned. "Now we may discuss business. On behalf of several members of Parliament, I would like to discuss the possibility of the Kingdom becoming the first official purchaser of your engines."
He spoke and presented a leather-bound folder to him as Kiyotaka opened it. Inside the folder were documents, contracts, proposals and projected figures and a number of details which made it look like they had planned it quite thoroughly.
The first several pages concerned procurement volumes, projected orders for the Royal Navy's auxiliary vessels, army's logistics corps.
Maury watched Kiyotaka read everything at an astonishing speed. He did not attempt to explain or summarize it for him.
By now he had realized that Kiyotaka's intelligence level was too high for him to interpret it for him.
Meanwhile, Kiyotaka reached the third page.
"An advance," Kiyotaka said quietly to himself, "against future contracts."
"Correct."
Kiyotaka looked up. "That is unusual."
"It is."
Maury did not elaborate immediately. He allowed the observation to sit between them, waiting to see whether Kiyotaka would ask the obvious question or arrive at the answer independently.
Kiyotaka considered it for a moment and then understood it.
"You are not offering this because Parliament is confident in the engines but rather you are offering this because Parliament is afraid someone else will be confident in them first."
Maury's expression did not change, but something in his eyes acknowledged the correctness of the statement.
"I did mention," he said, "that six months was a generous estimate."
Kiyotaka set the page down. "Then this is not an investment in Prometheus Motors."
"No. It is an investment in exclusivity."
An investment implied belief in a product and exclusivity implied fear of a rival possessing it. The former was flattering and the latter was, in its own way, more honest — and considerably more useful to know.
Kiyotaka turned to the next section which addressed something he had not anticipated Parliament raising so early — patents.
Specifically, a proposed structure by which the Crown would grant Prometheus Motors an expedited patent charter, one that would ordinarily require years of review compressed into a matter of weeks, in exchange for a clause permitting the Ministry of Defense limited licensing rights over any military-application variant of the engine.
Kiyotaka read the clause twice and then a third time.
Maury smiled and tapped his finger on the table. "Do you suspect something?"
"The wording is quite broad."
"It is."
"'Military-application variant' is not defined."
"I did not expect you to notice it within the first reading."
"Is that a compliment or a warning?"
"Both, generally, from men in my profession."
Kiyotaka's posture eased fractionally. "I have no intention of signing a clause this broad."
"I would have been disappointed if you had. You see, the men who drafted this folder are not the only men I answer to."
'There it is. The first admission to his real intentions.' Kiyotaka thought.
"There are others in the New Party who wish this negotiation to fail," Maury continued. "Not because they doubt the engine's value, quite the opposite. They doubt the wisdom of allowing a private citizen, half foreign-born and unaffiliated with any established house, to retain full ownership of something this significant."
Kiyotaka did not look up and kept his attention on the paper. "And you disagree with them."
"I have not yet decided."
Kiyotaka said as he turned to look at Maury Macht. "What would decide it?"
Maury studied him for a while. "Whether you intend to build an industry," he said, "or merely sell a product. A product is sold once and forgotten where as an industry requires roads, suppliers, trained labor and continuity across decades.
A man who wishes to sell a product wants the highest price today. A man who wishes to build an industry accepts a lower price today in exchange for permanence.
If Loen depends on Prometheus Motors for its engines, Prometheus Motors becomes difficult to remove. A product can be copied and discarded but the industry becomes infrastructure in the future."
"If I were to choose the latter, what is in it for me?"
Maury Macht's expressions bloomed as he smiled and closed in a little. "One-hundred thousand pounds as the first installment. It will be disbursed the moment both parties sign. Consider it earnest capital against a twelve-month agreement.
Prometheus Motors and Janus Engines would reserve the majority of its monthly output for Crown-designated orders during that period. In exchange, the Crown reserves nothing from you beyond that output and your discretion."
"And after twelve months?"
"Renewable." Maury said the word simply, without embellishment, though its simplicity was itself a kind of pressure. "By mutual consent. If the engines perform as the reports suggest, I imagine renewal will not require much persuasion on our part. If they do not..." he opened his palm slightly "...then neither of us has lost more than a year."
Kiyotaka read the sheet twice.
The structure was cleaner than he had expected. The sum would move through a Crown-chartered clearing bank rather than directly from the Treasury, which meant no line item in any public ledger would connect Prometheus Motors to Parliament by name.
It was a courtesy extended less for his benefit than for the New Party's, in the event this arrangement soured before the next election.
"The output reservation," Kiyotaka said. "Define majority."
"Sixty percent of monthly production, adjusted annually against a demonstrated capacity. That should leave forty percent for the commercial market. I believe that is enough for you?"
Kiyotaka considered the newspaper folded in his coat pocket, the one that had, only an hour earlier, described Prometheus Motors' commercial momentum as faltering.
Forty percent of a declining commercial appetite was not, in itself, a difficult constraint to accept but the difficulty laid elsewhere.
Before Kiyotaka could object to something else, Maury began talking. "As for military variants, it is confined to variants exceeding a specified power threshold, intended for armored or logistical deployment. Civilian models, and any commercial variant beneath that threshold, remain entirely yours without any licensing rights, Ministry oversight, or obligation to disclose schematics.
We have connections and are willing to overlook your Personal and Corporate Taxes as well."
'It is not a bad proposal. However, this type of agreement is kind of like a leash. But the instant transfer of £100.000 is too tantalizing to ignore, especially given the current circumstances.'
"I will need my own solicitor to review the final language," Kiyotaka answered, breaking out of his thoughts, "before anything is signed."
"Naturally. I would think less of you if you didn't." Maury withdrew a second, unmarked envelope from his coat and placed it beside the folder. "That is not a condition. It is simply mine to leave with you. It contains the address and details of one of the best solicitors living on Parliament Street who owes me a favor and does not talk. Use him or don't, it's up to you."
Kiyotaka took the envelope without opening it.
Right at the heels of that, Maury Macht rose up and retrieved his cane. For a moment, he simply looked at the younger man across the table. "I will have the funds transferred within the week of signing," he said. "And Mr. Williams — I do hope you understand this is not the end of our acquaintance but merely the beginning of a considerably longer one."
"I hope my decision won't affect that." Kiyotaka closed his eyes for a moment and breathed out.
"It won't. To show my sincerity and my appreciation for your work, I would love to invite you to a High-Tea at my residence. Actually, if I have to be honest, my wife asked me to invite a man of your stature, if you were not too old — which you are not." Maury let out something that was between a sigh and a chuckle. "I have a daughter as well, so I hope you will attend."
Kiyotaka, while busy brainstorming the entire proposal, somewhat understood the underlying meaning behind his words.
Placing the documents down, he extended his hand towards him. "I will try my best to be there."
"Wonderful. Would you mind giving me your address, so I can send a formal invitation to you."
After providing the man a piece of paper with Unit 17, Sørlund Street written on it, Maury Macht took his leave. However, before he could leave, Kiyotaka gifted him an expensive piece of wine that was aged for 90 years.
Just as Maury Macht left, Kiyotaka closed his eyes and felt a supernatural connection to him.
He had just established a "Connection" in tandem with "Bribe-Charm"
As he felt the supernatural connection, a torrent of information regarding the ability also entered his mind.
"Interesting." He mumbled while looking at the man leaving through the glass window.
Kiyotaka drew the burgundy curtains and suddenly laid down on the couch.
It was almost time for the weekly Tarot Club Meeting!