The Villainess Returns with a System-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.

"Lords and Ladies, we have arrived back where we started, and with everyone together, the seventh project, please allow me to present, Project Hopps!"

Everyone was already looking at the bar in the center of the hall, and as soon as they entered and once Vivian gave that short introduction, the footmen behind the bar started opening the bottles and serving them neatly. Just as the first guest sipped this strange bubbly liquid...

"Oh!"

... an exclamation of pleasure came out, and the old lady looked at her glass with the eyes of a little child.

"Scientists would call these Carbonated Drinks, but we just call them Hopps in tribute to Professor Gerald Hopps. They come in different flavors, and they are quite delightful to drink: cola, lime, orange, apple, and strawberry."

Carbonated drinks were introduced into the past world in different ways than the one Vivian did. With the discovery of carbonation, it took a few years for the process to be mechanized and then for pharmacists to add flavor to it. Early carbonated drinks were introduced as medical drinks and remedies, often mixed with ingredients like cocaine or lithium. This was the case until modern soft drinks were introduced in the late 1800s.

Basically, Vivian enticed Professor Hopps to advance his work with the help of many experts to continue where the past world left off, the modern carbonated drinks she knew and loved. Right now, these products are still costly to make, but when all the plans for the Hopps Factory come together, the price of a Hopps bottle will take a steep nosedive and become affordable to the common man.

After getting some compliments on the innovative drinks and getting more investors into the program, Vivian had one final project to put on the market.

"Project Melody..."

Vivian began with those words, and suddenly, all the lights in the room dimmed out, and only one lamp became focused on her, creating a spotlight unseen before in the world. The crowd looked around and noticed the existence of a certain young man doing all the lighting work from up there as he controlled the light to follow Vivian. Of course, that was Oliver, Vivian’s errand assistant.

"... Project Melody is a dear and near project to my heart. Most of the scientists in this room have somehow been invited to work on it, so it couldn’t be attributed to a single scientist. It is a team effort, and since we all agreed, the patent of this new marvel is going to be held by ViTech itself."

Vivian gave a brief legal introduction since this coming product was the highlight of the show. She then continued:

"I don’t have enough words to introduce the following question. I am sure that most of you have already heard the music, which seemed rather odd to the ears. It resembles the classical instrument, but it seemed to be played with rather old and badly tuned ones. But... what if that wasn’t the case?"

The spotlight moved away from Vivian as she gestured towards a balcony further up the hall. These balconies, referred to as Music Galleries, were designed to accommodate musicians, allowing them to play at a distance from the guests. This setup provided improved acoustics and prevented the musicians from obstructing the guests.

The balcony was covered with a light curtain that didn’t muffle sounds but still hindered vision. Once it was moved by a footman, what appeared behind it was not a band or a new musical instrument. It was just one strange-looking machine with a brass flower-like horn flaring outward in a graceful arc, catching the light in a golden sheen. The polished wooden base, rich with the deep hues of mahogany, bore delicate carvings along its edges, speaking of craftsmanship unmatched.

The man beside the contraption stepped forward and retrieved a black disk from a nearby table, placing it atop the wooden base on a circular platter. With a delicate touch, he positioned a peculiar metal arm, its end tipped with a needle, onto the disk. He then grasped the crank on the machine’s side, giving it several rotations and awakening its inner workings.

And then magic happened.

Delicate notes, multiple instruments, and to shatter the initial surprise with another, a feminine voice emerging beautifully with a familiar song.

"Bloody Saints in Heaven! What’s all that?"

"They fit so many instruments in one?"

"That voice... it is Lumi!" ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

The crowd was rapt, their collective breath held as if they were witnessing the unveiling of a divine secret. This was no mere spectacle, no fleeting marvel to be forgotten amidst the humdrum of everyday existence. This was a revelation, a seismic shift in the very foundations of how music was experienced, a transformation so profound that it left them breathless with awe.

For the first time in the annals of history, the ephemeral magic of music could be captured, bottled, and preserved for eternity. No longer was it necessary to summon a troupe of musicians to fill the air with melodies; no longer was the joy of music confined to the gilded halls of the wealthy or the raucous taverns of the common folk. Music, in all its myriad forms and expressions, was now accessible to all, a democratization of sound that was nothing short of miraculous.

Every note, every chord, every soaring vocal or melancholic refrain could now be etched into the very fabric of time, a testament to the boundless creativity of the human spirit. Musicians, singers, composers—all those who had dedicated their lives to the pursuit of musical expression—could now leave behind a legacy as enduring as that of any painter or writer. Their art, once as fleeting as a summer breeze, was now immortal, a gift to future generations that would resonate through the ages.

And the instrument of this extraordinary revolution? The Gramophone. With its ingenious mechanism and unassuming elegance, it unlocked a new era of musical possibility, a world where the past, present, and future of music danced in harmonious unity.

The first ever song to be played on the Gramophone in this world was written by Jade-Eyed Lumi, the Maopi singer from the exotic land of Longdi. Not a human singer as many would criticize Vivian later for. However, all the music was composed and played by Theodore Nightingale. This was the first-ever record in this world.

As for the process of making it, Vivian has poured most of her personal assets into the development of Project Melody. She even worked personally on it and contributed more than most in its creation, thus not a single partner in ViTech had any complaints about ViTech holding the patent for the project.

Since Vivian was rushing the technology and exploited Voros’ metallurgy in, she managed to pull the design faster than the technology would allow for, completely skipping the phonograph phase that preceded the gramophone in her previous world. As for the creation of vinyl records, Vivian had a few chemists accomplish it by telling them exactly what she wanted and making them brainstorm the process together.

In truth, the mass manufacturing of the Gramophone was still out of reach at the moment, but as a more stable design would be introduced later, all Vivian needed to do was to make this early prototype work.

The narrative surrounding Vivian Moore dramatically shifted. Once criticized for squandering her potential and losing the seat of the Princess Consort, she triumphantly emerged as the most valuable player of her generation, defying all expectations. Her remarkable achievements before the age of 20 solidified her status as an exceptional talent, silencing those who had doubted her and flipping the tables against her haters. Rising from previous setbacks, Vivian’s name became synonymous with success and respect, marking a turning point in her career.

While the people were all in awe, Vivian looked back and saw her father putting on a gentle smile rarely seen on his hardened face. She walked against the flow and arrived next to him before speaking:

"Have I impressed you now, Father?"

The count’s smile paused before turning to his daughter, then smiling once again before saying:

"I am your father, Vivian."

She blinked twice and looked at him for a few seconds. Clearly, the quest to impress him was the longest quest she was trying to achieve so far. But before she could say anything, he let out a breath and continued:

"Fathers are impressed by their children every step of the way: the moment they hold them for the first time, the moment they hear them cry, the moments they start seeing, hearing, and smiling, the moment they start using their cute little voices to say incomprehensible things, the moment they smile with their baby teeth, the moment they start to stand up and walk and speak."

Each word he said carried so much emotion, enough for Vivian to feel warmth gripping her entire being. But he wasn’t done; he still had more to say.

"I’ve been impressed by all my children every step of the way. How can a man like me be so blessed? Their entire being is just... it fills me with pride."

He looked away from his daughter before taking one step ahead and holding her arm around his, facing the crowd of guests, and looking at the grand inventions Vivian helped to bring to light.

"If your baby steps were enough to impress me, what you did tonight goes beyond mere words."

« Mission Accomplished! »

« Reward: 3000 SP + 1 Rare Item Shop Token »

Seeing her father leave after saying those words, Vivian no longer gave any attention to the reward and simply swiped the messages away. She watched his back as he walked, not knowing that this may be the last time they had this kind of heart-to-heart talk for a really long time.

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