Chapter 95: Project Melody
So far, Vivian has shown the world six different inventions this night. Although not all of them are completely new or original—like smoke filters and fire matches—what those six had in common is that they were ready to be commercialized as soon as the final trials were completed.
Not all of them were exciting either, just as Vivian said. The smokestack filtration mechanisms and the ball bearings looked a bit too dull for the uninformed public, but those specialized in industry and machinations were fangirling all over them.
Especially for the filtering system, the House of Lords has agreed on passing a law regarding some environmental development in the industrial areas, and there was a merit system for the factories that would participate in cleaning the air, water, and earth around their areas of operation. Count Julian Moore seemed to have enticed some of his associates to push this bill to vote, and without expecting it would work, most of Prince Liam’s supporters were pushing for it too.
As for the truly exciting stuff, the Rotary Print technology made the nobles salivate over it, knowing the business potential it was going to spark. Professor Danial Philips, the patent holder of the invention as well as the founder of Philips Printing, a new associate of the Moore Conglomerate, has promised to take over the gazette printing market as well as open the door to advanced forms of printing.
Vivian secured a position at Philips Printing, where she planned to create the world’s first entertainment magazine. The magazine, which she named "The Gossiparium," would focus on trivia, stories, quizzes, and general news and gossip. To make it exclusive and profitable, Vivian launched a subscription service called the Gossiparium Society, catering to those who desired whimsy and wondrous marvels.
What she didn’t reveal is that this subscription would be available to both nobles and commoners, albeit with different prices in exchange for different printing qualities. Either way, she wanted to secure the very first privately owned news outlet where she could wage her own media war against those who once smeared her reputation.
The other uproar in the tech fare that night in the mansion was the writing machine she called "Typewriter." The most proficient typist in Vivian’s team was the talented Esmeralda, whose fingers danced on the machine like no other. The rhythmic sound of the machine with every keystroke pushes the printing carriage over the pure white sheet of paper until a pleasant ring sounds, signaling the end of the line.
This particular machine made people want to jump and try it; the first was Morris De Brosa, whom Vivian invited personally and taught him how to use it. A bit clumsy at first, De Brosa was fascinated by the typewriter and wanted one for his own personal use as soon as it was commercialized. The second to try it was surprisingly Count Julian, whose eye lit up as soon as he pressed the first key. As a pianist, he never knew he would one day use his piano skills in something as mundane as writing, but it gave him a smile and he also asked for a machine for his personal use.
Almost everyone wanted to type that night, making David Clark, the young patent holder who made this contraption with Vivian, a very rich man overnight.
As for the friction matches showcased that night, it was merely an upgrade to the existing matches, one that seemed a bit mundane to show, but in the back rooms, many investors were already lining up to buy stocks in the new factory. As for the sewing machine, not many were interested in such menial work, but clothing manufacturers recognized its value and made requests for shipments of that machine.
So far, these were six projects of the eight Vivian promised, and after the tour around the mansion, everyone was back at the main hall, wondering what the last two projects would be. Still, there were changes in the hall, as it seemed that a circular drinks bar was set up in the middle of the hall with many shiny bottles lined up, each group with its own color. Some were transparent like water, others were dark and murky, and others were orange, green, and red.