The Royal Public University’s main campus was located on the outskirts of the royal capital and was a relatively insular institution. However, newer Schools, including the School of Steam and Gears, were situated within the capital itself, close to the outskirts.
This had originally been the nobles’ way of excluding the emerging classes, but it had instead ensured a more open atmosphere at the newer Schools. Nowadays, many children of noble families chose newer campuses such as the School of Steam and Gears.
[Simon drove the carriage while admiring the scenery on both sides. As they approached the School, the average age of the ladies along the road dropped rapidly, the streets brimming with youthful vitality.]
[Unfortunately, the young ladies’ busts leave something to be desired.]
[A group of flat-chested female students.jpg]
Is there nothing but breasts in your head?!
Elisa rubbed her forehead and sighed deeply.
Thinking she was feeling a little carsick, Miss Maria hurriedly opened the small window to tell Simon to slow down.
Elisa stopped her. Slowing the carriage would only give her male servant more time to admire the female university students.
“Miss, we’re here.” Simon stopped the carriage and handed the reins to one of the servants working at the invention exhibition.
Elisa stepped out of the carriage and entered the School gates together with Simon and Maria.
She took a deep breath and pulled herself together.
She hadn’t come here today to have fun. She was here to inspect the School of Steam and Gears’ invention exhibition and look for something to invest in!
This would be Miss Elisa’s very first investment, so she had to find a safe, reliable project. Ideally, it would be something small so that I, Miss Elisa, can familiarize myself with the process first.
Haaah, high society is such a hassle. Having money isn’t enough…you need to own businesses too!
A wealthy person without any business interests would only be called nouveau riche. Forget true high society; they would even have trouble fitting into the circles of small factory owners and senior employees.
Thinking about it carefully, though, it made sense. Without any businesses, you were simply living off your savings. How could that count as being truly wealthy?
There were only two ways to change that situation: investing or entering politics.
Entering politics was an option I could rule out immediately. I’m not a noble or the owner of some major factory, so I don’t even have the qualifications to get involved in politics.
Investing is my only choice.
Recently, Elisa had been asking around quite a bit about investing. She had heard plenty of stories from her neighbors, and very few people had succeeded. Far more had lost their investments and slunk back to the countryside in disgrace.
I have to choose my investment carefully!
I’m counting on you, male servant!
Miss Elisa knew her own limitations very well. She knew absolutely nothing about machinery and understood even less about business. If she chose an investment herself, she was certain to suffer a crushing defeat, lose a huge chunk of her funds, and be forced to sell off the assets she had accumulated back in the Archipelago.
Of all the people she knew and trusted, only her male servant had a good eye for investments.
Entering the school and making her way into the first exhibition hall, Elisa looked over the students’ booths lining both sides.
There were plenty of visitors. Most were middle-class people who had simply come to enjoy the spectacle, while only a small portion were potential investors.
The students were enthusiastic without being obsequious as they introduced their creations to the visitors.
Let’s see what kinds of inventions they have here.
Oh-ho, a foot-operated page-turning machine. This looks pretty cool! Just step on the pedal and it turns the pages of your book for you!
But why wouldn’t I just turn them by hand? Maybe it would be useful while eating cookies and cake. That way, stains on your fingers wouldn’t get on the pages.
Maybe this is something worth investing in?
A little tempted, Elisa opened [Simon’s Log] to see what her male servant thought.
[Simon marveled that this was truly an exquisitely ingenious design, a magnificent treasure bestowed upon humanity by the gods.]
He rates it that highly?
[Simon sighed in admiration. That curvature, that depth, that color….it was like a meticulously crafted work of art.]
Curvature, depth, color?
Elisa frowned as she examined the silvery-white machine in front of her, completely baffled.
Anyway, that means it’s worth investing in, right?!
She stepped forward, preparing to ask about the price. Just before she spoke, however, she glanced at her male servant and froze.
Her male servant’s gaze slowly drifted along, following a generously endowed lady behind the booth. The woman wore a low-cut Western-style dress.
“……”
I’m going to drain you dry!
Where are you even looking?! No wonder I couldn’t understand what you meant by curvature, depth, and color. Look at the invention properly!
[Simon sighed. Industrial products may be beautiful, but they lack a certain touch of soul.]
Now you’re getting picky?!
[A soulless, generously endowed lady.jpg]
Sooner or later, I’m disabling this feature!
Elisa turned around and headed toward the next booth.
A spill-proof ink bottle. It was an ink bottle mounted within an intricate framework of metal strips. No matter how much the table shook, the ink wouldn’t spill.
That way, there was no need to worry about staining the table or her clothes.
Elisa thought it seemed pretty good and opened the log.
[Simon was intently admiring the inventor.]
What do you mean, admiring the inventor? Aren’t you supposed to be admiring the invention?
Elisa turned to look at the student introducing the spill-proof ink bottle and only then realized that the inventor was an attractive young woman.
Damn it, can’t they ban women from the invention exhibition?!
Helpless, Elisa continued onward.
An automatic attendance machine. Using a mechanical system and name strips punched with holes, it could automatically take attendance, making it obvious at a glance who had come to class and who hadn’t.
What an evil machine! Though it does seem pretty useful.
There were no beautiful women nearby this time, so Elisa opened the log.
[Simon was admiring Miss Maria as she watched the exhibits attentively.]
Haven’t you stared at her enough back at the manor?!
They went on to see inventions such as a boot cleaner and a model steam-powered fire engine. By the time Elisa had finished touring the first exhibition hall, she stopped in her tracks, feeling somewhat defeated.
Her male servant spent the entire time staring at beautiful, busty ladies. If there weren’t any around, he looked at Maria. And when she sent Maria away, he actually started looking at her!
This is an invention exhibition, not a beauty show!
Is my investment plan going to end before it even begins?
Leaving the first exhibition hall, Elisa followed the signs toward the second.
The exhibition venues were all school classrooms, so they were rather spread out.
Upon entering the second hall, Elisa closed [Simon’s Log]. This male servant was completely unreliable. I’d better judge the inventions myself.
She carefully examined each invention. Every one of them seemed somewhat useful, yet not particularly useful at the same time.
By the time she was halfway through the hall, her brain had gone numb.
She opened [Simon’s Log] to relax for a moment.
[Simon spotted a familiar figure.]
“……?”
What did you say was familiar?
Elisa secretly glanced at her male servant and followed his gaze, spotting the young lady he recognized. She was plainly dressed and had a striking figure.
Elisa had seen her from a distance during the picnic. It was Susanna, the person who had been haunted by an evil spirit.
Right, Susanna was a student at the School of Steam and Gears.
“Young Lady, please allow me to leave for a moment,” Simon suddenly said.
Elisa gave him permission, already guessing what her male servant intended. Sure enough, Simon headed toward Susanna.
He had already taken quite a liking to Miss Susanna during the picnic. Now that he had run into her again, how could he possibly resist going over?
[Simon blended into the crowd and looked toward the exhibition booth, exclaiming in admiration. Whether in terms of portability, convenience, or maturity, it was impressive in every respect.]
Portability, convenience, and maturity? Aside from that last one, can the first two even be used to compliment a person?
[Simon calculated how much money he had and considered what he would have left after selling his jewelry, regretting that he couldn’t afford to purchase Miss Susanna’s fruits….]
What, you actually want to buy Miss Susanna’s mature fruits?
I can’t believe you’re that kind of shameless male servant!
Wait, that’s not right. It wasn’t talking about mature fruits….it meant the fruits of her invention!
Good job, male servant! I knew I wasn’t wrong about you!
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