image [https://i.ibb.co/0ZvJPK9/ViTech.jpg]

The following morning to Voros' metallurgy demonstration, I headed downtown for the first time after my transmigration with my knights, accompanied by my first employee, Jane Smith-Waters, as well as my newly hired business advisor and my previous tutor, Oscar Mason.

I have completely dumbed down the task of purchasing a headquarters building for ViTech on Oscar as well as Logan. Both Oscar and Logan took to the streets and found a real estate broker and kept going back and forth until they found me the fanciest available building in the commercial district.

"Here we are, 116 Parker Street."

Oscar announced before we got out of the carriage.

As I looked out the window, I saw a four-story building built in the urban style of the city center with a cobblestone base, a basement, and a large entrance. Its walls were thick and pristine, reflecting the capabilities of this era's level of architecture.

700,000 pounds for this building. If it wasn't for Father's giving me the chance to speak with the directors, I wouldn't have made such a daring purchase.

At first, I had the idea of renting the place rather than paying in full but Oscar advised me otherwise since the building itself is an asset and the Moores don't really rent things. The reasoning for that is their stubborn way to do business but it is not something Vivian wasn't keen on.

"How about a tour, Lady Vivian?" Oscar spoke as he opened the gates of the building with the key he had on him.

"Pretty please." I was in the lead of her entourage, wearing her suit and holding my umbrella like a cane.

Aside from me, Esmeralda was wearing a lovely black floral dress and standing at my six, Jane was wearing a feminine skirt suit unlike her usual tomboyish work attire, Logan was in his military suit and Oscar seemed to have put in a lot of effort in his suit for his new position as the administrative manager of ViTech.

"This is your copy of the main key, my lady. All the senior executives as well as the guards have their own keys but unlike them, yours is the master key of everything within the building."

"Thank you."

"Now, let's begin…"

The building was something to behold. Spacious rooms, spiral staircase, large underground space, balconies all around the place. On top of it all, the fourth story was where my office was.

"While we haven't done much about the decorations, I got the best specialists from the headquarters to fill this place with exquisite furniture. You have full mahogany furniture and your office was stationed in the best spot in the room to have sunlight for most of the day."

As Oscar showed me everything, Logan went behind the chair of the large office and pulled it back for me.

"Would you take your seat, director?" Oscar asked as it seemed that he and Logan had everything planned so far.

"Thank you, gentlemen. I relied on you a lot and you didn't disappoint." I said and it seemed my words made them feel appreciated for their effort, "However, this is a seat that is too early for me to fill."

Everyone in the room looked at me perplexed.

"I am sure you are all enthusiastic but so far, only Jane here is fully aware of my business model and to be frank, we have a lot to prepare before I can sit back and watch you guys work." I said and made my stance clear.

"It seems that you are more eager to work than most of us." Oscar said.

"You have no idea." I said and moved towards the desk before putting my purse on it, "I have spent every night after the finals working on our plan ahead. I want to share it with all of you right here, right now."

Oscar, Jane, Esmeralda, and Logan. Those guys are the most trusted companions so far, I can finally reveal what I have for them.

I took out a few scrolls of paper from my purse, each of them was a meter in width and length. One by one, I rolled them all open and used the desk antiques as weights to keep them spread on top of each other.

"I never knew you could draw so well." Logan said and studied the first drawings on top of the stack, "It looks beautiful but what does it do?"

"It brings dreams to reality." I replied and turned to them, "Each of these items is a technological idea that can revolutionize the way we live our lives. I am not a technician myself so I laid down all the information I know about these ideas based on my limited technical understanding. Jane, as my chief technician, I want you to study those ideas and figure out the missing pieces that I couldn't fill. This journal has all the details you need to know."

Jane received a journal I wrote that had everything I knew about those inventions laid down.

"Yes, my lady. I will make sure to come back with results as soon as possible."

I apologize to all the scientists and inventors of my previous world since I'll be taking most of their ideas that I think would fit my business model. For my own sake, I am going to speedrun the technological level of the world a few years too quickly.

"Mr. Oscar."

"My Lady."

"Your job is to focus on hiring our new employees. I'll leave most of the staff under your guidance but if you find someone promising…"

"I'll send them right to you."

"Good man."

"And as the herald of good news, many employees from the headquarters have known about your generous deeds of opening the employment door for the third academy. A lot have approached me with the intention of working here."

"Good. I like the sound of it."

This is going well. Aside from the limited basic staff I was given, my previous good deed is reaping results.

"Excuse me, my lady. What about me?" Logan asked, "You insisted that I sign my name as a senior employee even though I have no head for this kind of thing."

"Logan, you are the head of security."

"So I'll do the same job. Perfect."

"Not quite. Everything here in this paper is a sensitive piece of information. Things I view as matters of life and death. Your job will include interviewing and running background checks on everyone."

"Everyone?"

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"Everyone."

"Sir Logan, as you see, many of the new employees may come with ill intentions. I am sure some of them were instigated by other directors to come and keep an eye on us while others may be under the influence of outsider forces." Oscar explained.

"I see. You can rely on me if that's the case. Also, I know a couple of stubborn old soldiers who will be pleased to get a job as guards. I need some extra people I'm familiar with to get this place secured."

"Fantastic. Bring them to me and we'll put them on the payroll." I said and faced my final confidant.

"I'm at your service." Esmeralda spoke with a patient face.

"I know you're skilled at many things, Esmeralda, but I can trust no one else other than you with that post."

"Then I'll do my best. What will it be, my lady?"

"In name, you'll be the secretary and my office manager. Oscar will familiarize you with the dos and don'ts for the job."

"I understand."

I was pleased with the lineup of senior employees I have and I was finally about to wrap this situation up but at that moment.

Knock Knock

"My Lady, you have a visitor."

A knight of mine appeared at the door and announced someone paying me such an unexpected visit.

"Hold on." I immediately turned and started rolling back my projects into the purse with the help of Jane.

"Alright, let's hide them all except this one."

"Project… Melodies?" Jane read the title of the paper and looked at me.

"This one should be ready in a month. I want you to refine the ideas here into some initial schematics. I'll send for Voros to come help you once we set him a secured workshop in the basement."

"Alright. I'll get to work right away."

Jane took the paper and the journal and walked out of the office.

"The employees will arrive in an hour at the start of their shift. I have a lot to interview. If you excuse me, of course." Oscar said.

"Go, I want a report of the accepted employees for Logan to check on."

"Then I better head out."

As Oscar walked out as well, all who remained were Logan and Esmeralda, as the two never leave my side anyway.

"Send in the visitor." I called and the Knight opened the door for a man to walk in.

As soon as I laid eyes on that unfamiliar man, I was having the oddest feeling of deja vu. He was tall and very lean, almost slender despite the obvious effort of making himself look broader than he was by his formal three-piece white suit.

As soon as he took off his hat to greet me, I noticed that his dark blond hair was too sleek and cared for. His thin mustache and goatee were a bit long and silky like his hair.

He had a small face, a petite nose, a long neck, and something about his green eyes that made him friendly and approachable despite what people say about green eyes.

"Hello, Sir. May I have the pleasure of knowing who you are?" I asked.

"Mademoiselle Vivian Moore, I am so pleased to finally meet you after all this time. My name is Sedric Lee Alba, I am the owner of the business across the street, the Alba Fashion House, and I must say, I'm one of your most ardent admirers." The man spoke and bowed dramatically.

As I listened, his voice seemed way younger than his appearance and everyone would feel awkward to point that out so I could only exchange courtesies.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Alba. I am sure we will be wonderful neighbors."

"Of course, I wouldn't take it any other way, Mademoiselle. I've heard so much about you to the point that when I heard we've become neighbors, I couldn't help but come to you running first thing in the morning with a housewarming gift."

Something about his ridiculous way of speaking made Logan frown but as he said so, a knight walked in with an assistant of Mr. Alba moving in a large dress on a standing trolly. Something tall was placed on that trolly and it was covered in a clean white sheet.

"Excuse my enthusiasm but this dress was made for you. I planned to come visit the Moore mansion and introduce myself in person at your last birthday but the event got unfortunately canceled." Mr. Sedric spoke and then held the sheet with two fingers before pulling it artistically to reveal what was underneath.

A dress.

"Yes, it wasn't a good time to hold… such… an event." I replied naturally but as I saw the dress, my attention was completely diverted.

This dress… to describe it in today's fashion sense, it is more like… the most perverted dress in the world. The dress was blue like sapphire, made by magical hands with the finest silk in the world, no mistake about it.

It was so… so…

"Inappropriate!" Logan spoke with an intense glare at the dress.

"I was thinking erotic but yeah… it's a bit revealing." I followed up.

Like… it's beautiful… beautiful like a dream of a maiden dancing over a lake under the starry sky and the shimmering light of the moon, but for the flaws, just where to begin?

Its blue sapphire color is just dazzling but it has a plunging neckline front and back, its sleeves are open and see-through, and the skirt of the dress, despite being long, has a slit on the side that would exist all the way to the left thigh. [Add Image]

image [https://i.ibb.co/qxgXKY0/image-2024-06-27-112910649.png]

Beautiful but…

"Mademoiselle, you can't say you don't like my finest creation ever."

"I love it, I just… don't have the intention of wearing it." I said awkwardly as the man was already making sad puppy eyes.

"Ma belle demoiselle, even when you say such hurtful things…" Mr. Sedric approached me so fast and put his hand around my waist intimately.

His face got so close I almost felt his warm breath on my neck but all I saw after that was the scariest face Logan had ever made.

"YOU'RE DEAD, YOU BASTARD!"

I rushed from Sedric embrace straight to Logan's as it was the only way to stop him.

"Viv…" Logan stopped his terrifying momentum and held me gently.

"Wait! Don't…"

I could barely stop him from gathering my thoughts before looking back at Mr. Sedric.

"Mademoiselle! Are you alright?" Sedric came towards me but only stopped as Logan stared at him with the intent of ripping him to shreds.

As I parted from Logan, I faced the dress rather than its maker and held my hand to check the card on it.

"Alba's Fabulous Fashion, Sedric Lee Alba." I read the card and then turned to Sedric, "When did you open for business in the city?"

"Hmmm… in a week, non, in six days we would be here for two months." Sedric said.

"Fairly new in town, eh? And the name on the card, Sedric with an S rather than a C." I said.

"Of course, mademoiselle, there is not a C in my name." Sedric got closer and held a few strands of my hair as he replied as his face got closer and closer.

"This bas…"

Even with Logan about to flare up again, I couldn't help but laugh.

I laughed like never before.

Amusing? Like you can never believe!

"Hahaha! I can't believe it! Sedric with an S. So stupid!"

I said and ran to the embrace of this "Sedric" once again.

"And the name is missing two letters." I said as my eyes were getting tearful from laughing.

"Ah! I honestly had no idea where to arrange them." The so-called Sedric replied.

We embraced and laughed like two friends who hadn't seen each other for a while.

"I can't believe you're wearing this. You look so dashing?"

"I look good in everything I wear, young lady. But look at you, your outfit is so rebellious. Trousers, boots, and this coat dress is something else."

"I tried to be innovative."

"Well, come to me and I'll think of something you'll love. Speaking of which, you have to wear that dress for me."

"Not in a million years, sister. If I ever do, it's only in my chambers where only Esmeralda can see."

"Oh, you haven't been introduced. You have such an exotic beauty and you didn't swing by?"

"Last time I swung by, people tried to kill me."

"Don't worry, girl. I single-handedly cleaned up the place for you next time you ever want to visit."

"Excuse me! What's going on? And who's that?" But during that warm conversation I had with Sedric, a certain sour-faced Logan was feeling confused and maybe left out.

"You still haven't figured it out? That's Sedric Lee Alba, but missing an L and an A."

"??"

I could see Logan's confusion and it seemed like he hadn't figured it out yet.

All I could do for him now was to remove Sedric's fake mustache and goatee for the real face to appear beneath.

Sedric Lee Alba was just an anagram for the one and only, Vivian's best friend in the whole wide world, Isabel(la) De Clare.