Michael arrived at Castelle’s office to talk about the current state of the project.
“I’m sorry, Young Master. I’ve been extremely busy as of late. I underestimated how much demand we’d have with the plumbing system,” Castelle said, with her hair and uniform in complete disarray.
Michael felt sorry for her. The papers and contracts strewn around the room told him that this was an extremely stressful time for his CEO.
“But this is good, Young Master. Our profits have shot off through the roof! Just as you expected, the profits will far surpass the expenses we need to construct the sewer system. The money we’ll gain from this will be enough for us to expand to other cities!”
Michael nodded, satisfied with how fast the Reborn company was growing.
“I have also heard that a wealthy individual from overseas has taken an interest in our products. They are requesting to buy all our products in bulk, which would give us a profit of more than a million gold coins!”
Michael was surprised, but didn’t think much of it.
He would only come to know how important that individual was later on, but that was a story for another time.
Meanwhile, Michael heard a knock on the door.
The man didn’t wait for a response and opened the door, showing himself to be Michael’s father, Bart Vanderbilt.
“Michael, are you ready? We’ll start our journey to your Grandfather’s estate today.”
Michael completely forgot that they were supposed to visit his Grandfather today.
Now that he had undergone his Talent Awakening, it was finally time to show himself to his Grandfather, the man who built the Vanderbilt business from the ground up.
His parents stressed over this meeting for the whole week. They made sure to tailor the best suit for him, making him look more mature and respectable. Though, Michael thought he looked a bit uptight with it.
They worried about this meeting because this was what would decide his future as a Vanderbilt.
Will he gain the favor of his Grandfather and inherit some of his wealth, or will he remain simply a Vanderbilt in name?
Although they were confident that Michael was more than talented enough to interest his grandfather, they still couldn’t help but be anxious the whole carriage ride there.
Michael thought that he didn’t have to worry about money because of his Reborn company, but his father reminded him that compared to the entire Vanderbilt business, his profits were merely a drop in front of an ocean.
Not only that, earning the favor of his grandfather would allow him connections with a lot of influential people, allowing him to become a powerful figure in the future.
But Michael didn’t care much about that. The only reason why he wanted to visit his Grandfather was because he wanted to put a face into the legendary name of Yze Vanderbilt.
He didn’t hear much about his Grandfather, but from the small tidbits of stories his father told him, it looked like his Grandfather was a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will.
He used to be an impoverished orphan who didn’t even have a bronze coin in his pocket. But within a century, he built a business that conquered the entire world.
So, Michael was very interested in meeting his Grandfather.
…
…
…
After almost a month of traveling, they finally reached the Main Vanderbilt Estate, or the more accurate name for it would be the Vanderbilt Kingdom.
After all, the place looked even larger than Kingsbridge itself. There were multiple mansions and castles within the walls, creating a miniature world for themselves.
Bart explained that most of his relatives lived inside the Vanderbilt Kingdom, managing their territories as if they were royals.
Michael had a lot of relatives. A lot. It seemed that his grandfather was quite a lady’s man, having more than five wives and even more concubines.
Because of that, Michael had about a hundred aunts and uncles, all of which had their own children.
Bart was the youngest and the last child of the Vanderbilt children. After his birth, Yze Vanderbilt got too old to bear any more children.
So, in terms of inheritance, Michael wasn’t really supposed to receive anything. Bart himself only received the businesses in Kingsbridge, which was very small compared to what his older siblings got.
The only ones who could be considered for an inheritance would be Michael’s oldest cousins, the children of the eldest children of Yze Vanderbilt.
However, Bart and Lylia were hoping that with Michael’s talent, he would be given an exception.
After all, Michael was a once-in-a-thousand-year genius mage, a talented businessman who created his own thriving business, and most importantly, he received a Supreme Skill in his talent awakening.
There was no one more talented than him.
Finally, they reached the gates of the Vanderbilt Kingdom.
They were quickly let inside after a brief inspection of their family emblem.
Upon informing the guards of their purpose of visit, they quickly escorted them into the main estate, the house where his Grandfather lived.
Once he caught sight of the mansion, Michael finally caught a glimpse of the immensity of the Vanderbilt wealth. Exotic animals and nearly extinct trees roamed around the area like a jungle, almost becoming a zoo.
Michael knew Vanderbilt had too much money because even those animals had their own mansions and their own caretakers.
As they traveled further and further inside the Kingdom, Michael finally saw the main territory of Grandfather Vanderbilt.
The mansion itself was very large, made up of very expensive and exotic materials that Michael had never even seen before.
They were even given a map so that they wouldn’t get lost within the mansion.
Thankfully, Michael and his parents didn’t have to wander around the mansion. Their only purpose for this visit was to meet with his Grandfather, so they went straight towards his grand chambers.
Bart and Lylia held Michael’s hands as they slowly walked towards the large double doors.
Today was the day when Michael would get his inheritance. And it all depended on this meeting.
As they opened the door, they were met with a large chamber fit only for a King.
There was a large throne at the very end of the chamber, with high arches and columns that gave the entire chamber a sense of majesty and grandiosity.
The paintings and tapestries to the sides depicted multiple portrayals of the world, signifying the Vanderbilt’s control over global commerce.
Every piece of furniture, whether it be a chair or a table, was ornate with real gold, dragon scales, and even pearls from the deep sea.
Bart and Lylia immediately kneeled to show their respects, which Michael copied a second later.
They were in front of the Board of Directors of the entire Vanderbilt business who sat at the seats beside the throne.
They answered only to Yze Vanderbilt, and no one else.
“We have come to ask a favor from my father,” Bart said, keeping his head low. “My son has recently awakened a supreme talent and has proven himself to be a genius unlike any other.”