The first morning in their new office building was a momentous occasion for the industrialist duo. As they woke up to the warm glow of the rising sun, they couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. The opulent building had been a long-awaited dream, and they had spared no expense in its construction and design.
As they made their way through the spacious, modern offices, they marveled at the state-of-the-art technology at the time and luxurious furnishings. Everything had been meticulously planned and executed, from the sleek conference rooms to the gourmet kitchen.
In the main office, a massive wall-sized window offered a breathtaking view of the bustling company town below. Plumes of smoke rose steadily from the towering smokestack, and horse-drawn carriages clattered along the cobblestone streets. The workers, tiny from this height, scurried about like ants in their quest to keep the industrial machine running smoothly.
Poul watched them for a moment until a person entered the room. It was Jonathan and Caroline.
"Good morning, to you two," Poul greeted. "How was your evening, was it good?"
"Well, we enjoyed every moment," Jonathan said as he wrapped his arm around Caroline's shoulder.
"You two should get married already," Poul joked with a chuckle. "You've been acting like a real couple for some time and perhaps this is the perfect time to make it a reality. I will give you my blessing of course."
"Pray thee, there be no haste," spoke Jonathan, "For all shall come in its due course."
"Oh please drop those classic English words," Poul said, cringing.
Caroline giggled and added. "We have plenty to focus on right now. The electric company is just starting, we haven't expanded to other states yet. So that means a lot of work to do. Once I get back to New York, I will reach out to my contacts and endorse your system to them. Of course with the help of Morgan."
Jonathan hummed as he looked around the office, feeling something was missing. "Where is Amelia? She is supposed to be up at this hour."
Upon the mention of her name, Poul remembered the events that had transpired in the evening. Their discussion of closure is still weighing on his shoulder.
"Amelia was always punctual, even during the time she worked for me."
"Just give it a break, she must have overslept. You know, the ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday ended late in the evening so it is understandable that one might not wake up in time," Poul said.
Just as he told them about that, a person came rushing inside the main office. It was Amelia.
"Sorry for my lateness," she panted. "My alarm didn't go off."
"That's fine, now that you are here, none of it matters," Poul said in a reassuring tone.
Amelia averted her gaze from Poul. "Thank you, but it won't happen again."
Jonathan and Caroline noticed right off the bat that something was off between the two. They hummed in thought, wondering what it could be.
"What's our order of business for today?" Poul asked.
Amelia, whose eyes still not meeting Poul, spoke. "We have a visitor from Japan, inquiring about the acquisition of the AN-M1 rifles. They'll arrive in an hour, I'll go prepare the drawing room."
Poul nodded in approval. "Very well, please also prepare the necessary documents for them to peruse."
"Consider it done," Amelia said then left the office.
Moments later, Jonathan and Caroline's eyes flickered at Poul.
Poul, having received such stares, tilted his head to the side. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Jonathan cleared his throat before speaking. "Poul, is everything okay between you and Amelia? It seemed like there was some tension there."
Poul sighed, knowing he couldn't keep it from his partners. "I had a difficult conversation with Amelia last night."
"About what?" Caroline asked.
"It's personal, I don't want to talk about it," Poul trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with the topic.
Jonathan and Caroline exchanged a concerned look. They knew Poul could be private about his personal matters, but they also knew how important it was for them to work together as a team.
"Poul, whatever it is that's bothering you, feel free to reach out to both of us. We are creating an empire here, I don't want it collapsing because your head is preoccupied with personal issues," Jonathan said firmly but with kindness.
Poul nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Jonathan. I'll keep that in mind."
"Never mind about that, since when did we tap the Japanese market?" Caroline asked. "And they are approaching us for weapons."
There is a rebellion brewing in Imperial Japan," Poul continued, "it seems that the samurai are losing their rights as the country continues to industrialize and westernize."
Caroline's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by losing their rights?"
Poul let out a sigh. "Well, the samurai class has been a prominent social group in Japan for centuries, but with the Meiji Restoration and the subsequent industrialization of the country, their traditional way of life is being threatened. They are being stripped of their power and privileges, and many of them are unhappy with the changes."
Jonathan chimed in, "That sounds like a serious issue. Do you think it could escalate into a full-blown rebellion?"
Poul nodded. "It's definitely a possibility. The samurai have a strong sense of honor and duty, and they won't back down without a fight. And with the tensions between the traditionalists and modernizers in Japan, the situation could easily spiral out of control. But who cares what happens? The only thing that we should care about is selling weapons and making a profit out of their war."
"The samurais are surely going to lose in this fight," Jonathan said.
"Who knows? I also heard that the army of the Imperial Japanese is made up of conscripts, and farmers who haven't even seen a gun. And they're up against highly trained samurais. So in this case, even if you are equipped with the best weapon in the world if you don't know how to use it. It's useless. Well, the good thing is that we made our rifles so easy to use that even a child can use them."
As they were discussing with each other, the telephone on the desk rang.
Poul promptly picked that up and answered. He hummed as he agreed with whoever was calling him on the phone. Seconds later, he put the phone back on its cradle and turned to Jonathan and Caroline.
"It was Amelia. The Japanese have arrived."
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