The reason for creating the Flying Airship, besides it being the most feasible flying vehicle at present, is that the group of Astrologers predicted a very realistic scenario during their divination—when catastrophe strikes, the whole Langton will plunge into chaos and riots.
At that time, if Perfikot doesn't want to be caught up in it, she should leave the Victor Empire's mainland and head to the Empire's overseas colonies. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NovєlFіre.net
The Empire's newly opened but scarcely developed New Continent colony is a particularly good choice.
Rich in resources and sparsely populated, when the apocalypse arrives and the entire world falls into chaos and disorder, with all old orders collapsing and people scrambling to escape, it will undoubtedly become a paradise.
The only problem is that reaching the New Continent requires crossing the sea.
And to cross the ocean, other than by ship, Perfikot's only thought for a mode of transport is the airship.
Considering that by then the ocean may have already been frozen, Perfikot feels that rather than the counterproductive New Dynasty's governance, flying is a better implementation.
Of course, it's also slightly safer.
Just as she immersed herself in her airship design drawings, the knock at the door of the laboratory interrupted her work.
"Miss, there's a gentleman claiming to be the messenger of the Victor Empire's Noble Council Chairman, Duke of Gloucester, accompanied by Major William, visiting you. Would you like to see them?" The one who entered after obtaining permission was the old butler of the Brandlis Clan, Foster, who informed Perfikot of the visitors.
Perfikot, a bit displeased with the interruption, nonetheless raised her head toward the laboratory door and said, "Let them wait in the parlor; I'll change clothes and come down shortly."
"Alright, Miss." Foster's voice was steady and skillful, full of trustworthy reliability.
"Also, Grandpa Fu, how is the family estate I asked you to sell?" Perfikot stood up, inquiring of Foster.
Facing Perfikot's inquiry, Foster's originally steady expression suddenly showed a slight change. He furrowed his brows but still replied to Perfikot, "Following Miss's instructions, a shop in Langton City and two workshops along with a villa gifted to you by Duke of Gloucester have already been sold.
Currently, the market for these properties is excellent. As you matched the sales with the manufacturing technology of the Alchemy Puppets, they were sold for a high price.
The shop selling Alchemy Puppets and the workshop producing them were sold together for twenty thousand pounds.
The buyer paid very promptly; twenty thousand pounds has been deposited in three batches into your account at the Empire Bank. However, the buyer hopes to meet with you face-to-face, the other party is..."
"Who the buyer is doesn't matter; what's important is the money. With this money, I can build the Flying Airship and take us away from the Empire's mainland to the New Continent before disaster strikes. That's the only thing that matters!" Perfikot interrupted Foster, not wanting to know who purchased her estate, even though she could guess who footed the bill.
After all, even in the Victor Empire's capital, Langton, those who can afford such a large sum are few and those are the people Perfikot has mostly interacted with.
The shop under her name sells Alchemy Puppets, which are quite popular in the Empire's upper class, with each puppet's price being rather expensive. Even mass-produced non-combat types are equivalent to a middle-income family's total annual earnings.
Not to mention specially customized battle Alchemy Puppets and other special-purpose Alchemy Puppets, each costing a fortune, even in Langton, where Empire nobles are most concentrated, only the most elite nobility have the financial capacity for such consumption.
Acquiring such a prime estate isn't a simple task, and twenty thousand pounds, although a high price, is still considered underpriced.
Even though the Imperial Navy Department spends just seventy thousand pounds to build an old cruiser, twenty thousand pounds, saved, is enough to build three.
Perfikot's workshop produced a profit of four thousand pounds last year, indicating whoever buys her shop could recoup the investment within five years.
If it weren't for facing the apocalypse, she certainly wouldn't sell such a golden goose.
Those who can afford it, other than a few great nobles and the Royal Family, don't need considering anyone else.
But Perfikot doesn't want to see any of these people now. She just wants to quickly get the money and then build her Flying Airship to head to the New Continent before disaster strikes.
Otherwise, Perfikot doesn't want to manage any other affairs, let alone socializing and forming connections among the nobility.
Know that the Brandlis Clan now only has her as the direct bloodline. Although the Empire's inheritance laws stipulate that women can inherit titles, as Perfikot approaches adulthood, many have begun to eye the title of Brandlis Baron, trying to become the new Brandlis Baron through marriage.
According to Empire law, if Perfikot marries and the man agrees to change his surname, he can inherit the title of Brandlis Baron.
And for that to happen, Perfikot must die, severing the direct lineage of the Brandlis Clan.
So Perfikot rarely attends noble gatherings and detests all unnecessary social interactions.
The loyal old butler Foster obviously understands this, so he wasn't puzzled by Perfikot's unwillingness to meet the buyer.
"In that case, I'll turn them down, saying Miss you've been unwell lately, not suitable for visitors." This loyal old butler nodded to Perfikot, signifying his intention to handle it properly: "If there are no other orders, I'll take my leave."
Perfikot, seeing this, didn't say much, simply waved Foster away.
As she heard Foster's footsteps gradually disappearing outside, Perfikot's expression wasn't pleasant.
This wasn't a good experience for her; she disliked the feeling of being unexpectedly interrupted in her tasks.
If possible, she'd leave those two aside, finishing her work before seeing them.
But considering the visitors included her distant cousin and Duke of Gloucester's messenger, their joint arrival might imply something important. Reluctantly, Perfikot decided to meet them first.
She sighed, stood up, and walked to the dressing room beside the laboratory: "Beifa, bring me a dress for meeting guests, a green one."
Accompanied by Perfikot's voice, a puppet standing in the corner of the laboratory started moving.