In the project manager’s eyes, Perfikot is just a noble lady with considerable family influence.
Although she might indeed be wealthy and her family quite powerful, she seems naïve and easily swayed.
Despite having no experience dealing with girls of this age, the project manager remains confident, as he believes even women older than Perfikot are easy to deceive.
Especially those wealthy socialites, who tend to believe whatever is said without much persuasion.
Like most women of this era, they understand nothing, and whatever men say becomes truth.
However, after spending about three minutes with the engineer in front of Perfikot explaining how their design could reduce costs and shorten the construction period, the answer they received was a furious reprimand.
"Out of respect, I wasted three minutes listening to you explain, only to receive a so-called design proposal that treats me like a fool?" Perfikot, perhaps frustrated from the development of the new steam engine, finally lost her temper after three minutes of these two men’s chatter: "Taking used port warehouse blueprints to deceive me, do you think I can’t recognize that the drawing in your hand was made three years ago? And how dare you assume that this wooden-board-constructed warehouse could meet my requirements?
Who gave you the confidence that you know more about construction than a royal chartered engineer? Now take this pile of trash and get out! If you can’t finish the construction of the distribution station according to my blueprint before winter arrives, I’ll brick you all into the wall!"
Under Perfikot’s furious wrath, the project manager and the engineer were thrown out of her laboratory.
Although the project manager wanted to explain something, the two knights guarding the door directly blocked him, and called several guards to drive them away from the White Gem.
Thrown onto the dock by the guards, the project manager and the engineer struggled to their feet, gathering up the blueprints on the ground while complaining aloud.
However, the engineer was merely complaining about the guards’ roughness, whereas the project manager was more dissatisfied with Perfikot’s lack of discernment and unreasonable nature.
Yet, the engineer suddenly spoke, "Manager, say no more! That girl is not simple; she has a royal chartered engineer badge on her collar."
"Royal chartered engineer? Are you sure you didn’t see wrong? How could a teenage girl possibly be a royal chartered engineer?" The project manager looked skeptical, then turned to glance at the White Gem, still doubtful.
"When I was in college, a professor had one, and I studied it for four years. Even with my eyes closed, I’m sure I could recognize it; it’s unmistakable!" The engineer insisted emphatically, seemingly certain about it: "During college, I always yearned for one royal chartered badge, but the professor said I’d never get one in my lifetime.
Because the royal chartered badge can only be issued by the Imperial Engineers Association, and it’s impossible for anyone in the colonies to receive such a badge."
Saying this, the engineer touched the badge pinned on his collar, showing an expression of reluctance and regret.
His badge was merely a technician badge, quite prestigious, but a world apart from the royal chartered badge.
Seeing the engineer’s reaction, the project manager expressed surprise but then seemed to recall something and said, "Do you remember the ’Engineer Weekly’ we received a couple of months ago? It featured an article purportedly written by a thirteen-year-old genius girl..."
"I remember. They said she was pursuing a professorship in the Alchemy Department at Langton University. At the time, I marveled at the incredible talents from the Empire... Are you saying she’s that Miss Brandelis?" The engineer remembered the article, feeling a wave of excitement at meeting his idol.
But he soon fell into regret, beating his chest in self-reproach: "I never thought she was Miss Brandelis! If I had known earlier, how could I possibly have presented such embarrassing material as to desecrate her eyes!"
Clearly, a technician engineer bringing his design to claim superiority over a royal chartered engineer is akin to a schoolchild asserting they know more than a university professor.
While this engineer isn’t a schoolchild, Perfikot is genuinely qualified to be a university professor.
She indeed gained such an opportunity, not being hired solely due to gender discrimination.
The project manager observed the engineer’s regrets without saying more, silently helped gather the scattered blueprints, and suggested: "Let’s follow that blueprint for this project; later, make a copy, and the company can use it for promotion."
"This... wouldn’t Miss Brandelis be angry?" The engineer expressed concern, considering the consequences of offending a royal chartered engineer.
"Then find a way to please her! A royal chartered engineer’s design—what a selling point!" The project manager, now excited and reinvigorated, was eager to execute the new plan, showing none of his prior despondency from being thrown out.
The engineer’s persuasion fell on deaf ears, so he reluctantly held onto the blueprints and returned to the construction site with the manager, yet he remained preoccupied with Perfikot’s design.
He planned to study it carefully, as a royal chartered engineer’s design was something he typically had no chance of encountering. This update is available on Nove1Fire.net
Meanwhile, Perfikot, having thrown out those two unfortunate souls, finally felt relieved.
"Fu, brew me some black tea... no, better make a pot of coffee; I need something to wake me up." Perfikot instructed Foster.
Foster promptly complied, soon bringing her a pot of aromatic coffee.
Perfikot poured herself a cup and intended to drink it straight but, after sipping, decided to pick up the sugar cubes sent along, dropping two pieces into the cup and stirring.
Watching the swirling coffee, a flash of inspiration suddenly hit her mind.
This prompted her to slap her forehead in annoyance, exclaiming, "How could I forget this! Using this would perfectly complement the high-pressure steam generated by heavy water!"