Cooperation

Seeing Kronos looking a little dazed, Duke Negan said nothing. He could tell that Kronos was thinking about his next steps. Philip, however, failed to notice and leaned over to comfort him instead.

"Kronos, it's all right. You said it yourself-you're only a tiny bit away. Your family should have records on this sort of thing. Look through them when you get home, and you'll find a way."

Hearing his son's sincere words, Duke Negan felt a little helpless. His son still lacked the ability to read people, but perhaps that was why he still had friends, while the duke himself had long since lost all of his.

Kronos came back to his senses and smiled at Philip. "I wasn't discouraged. My family has records of other methods, and I'd already planned to use one of them. I was just thinking about how to put it into practice."

"That's good, then. That's how potion digestion works. If you digest it steadily, like I do, it's bound to take longer. But if you want to speed it up, you'll need quite a few tricks."

Kronos could tell that Philip genuinely had his best interests at heart. "Yes, but it's all right. I only have a tiny bit of my potion left to digest. I should be able to advance very soon."

"Hahaha! Let me know when you advance. We'll celebrate," Philip said heartily.

"That'll depend on whether we get the chance. Once I advance, I'll be heading out to sea with my family's merchant fleet."

Philip was startled. "What are you going to sea for? If you just want to see the world, a navy major can join any fleet and sail with the navy. Going with a merchant fleet is dangerous! Ordinary pirates are one thing, but if you run into a pirate general or the King of Pirates, you won't be coming back."

"Philip, you shouldn't pry into a friend's secrets. You can offer suggestions, but don't ask why they've chosen a different course," Duke Negan interjected.

Philip froze, then realized how inappropriate his words had been. "Kronos, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

Kronos waved a hand. "It's fine. I know you meant well."

Then he turned to Duke Negan. "Uncle Negan, thank you for the guidance."

Duke Negan nodded kindly. He thought highly of Kronos, too. The young man had none of the bad habits common among noble children and knew when to push forward and when to step back. It was a shame he wasn't a member of the duke's family; otherwise, he could have devoted every effort to nurturing him so that he could help Philip in the future.

"Kronos, what sort of food do you like? Stay for lunch and try our chef's cooking," Duke Negan offered.

Kronos looked a little troubled. "Uncle Negan, thank you for the kind invitation, but I still have things to do. I need to go to Saint George District this afternoon. If I don't leave early, I won't make it in time."

"What are you going to Saint George District for?" Philip asked from beside him.

Duke Negan pressed a hand to his forehead with a rueful smile. He had only just finished teaching his son, and here he was, thoughtlessly prying again.

Seeing Duke Negan's gesture, Kronos stifled a laugh before replying, "I've worked out a few formulas for new materials. I'm going to discuss them with Professor Portland, then run some experiments at the factory in Saint George District."

"Then you'd better hurry. If you leave it too late, you'll miss your chance," Duke Negan said.

At those words, both Kronos and Philip turned their eyes toward him. Clearly, he knew something.

"Kronos, you haven't been to the Navy Base in quite some time, have you? So you wouldn't know how far the ironclad's construction has progressed." Rather than revealing the news, Duke Negan asked him a question.

Kronos scratched his head. "It has been a while. When I left, the research into the mechanical structure and the overall design were already finished. Everything left was work that didn't require much technical expertise, so I wasn't interested."

Duke Negan laughed heartily. "You're not suited to being a politician or a businessman. Perhaps you'd be happier as a researcher."

Kronos said nothing, merely smiling in agreement.

Duke Negan continued, "The ironclad has finished the final stage of data compilation. Next comes the calculation of how much material the entire ship will require, after which procurement will begin."

"If you can develop superior materials before then, and you and Professor Portland recommend them in your capacity as technical advisers, you might become the biggest winner in the entire Ironclad Project."

Indeed, the main body of the ironclad would certainly be built from ordinary steel, but some crucial precision components required special types of steel. Some needed wear resistance, others hardness, and still others toughness.

Those special materials could be worth dozens or even hundreds of times as much as ordinary steel. If Walter Factory could become their exclusive supplier, its profits from this deal would be no lower than those of the major steel companies.

Only now did Kronos realize that the Ironclad Project had reached this stage. If his experiments with the new materials succeeded, this would be another opportunity to make an enormous amount of money.

Coal futures, smokeless charcoal production, smokeless charcoal sales, the upcoming maritime trade, and now the production of new materials-Kronos truly had several exceptionally lucrative ventures in his hands.

Once every project was running smoothly, Kronos would be able to proudly pay back Marquis Argyle's initial investment and declare, "I can support myself now!"

Of course, that was nothing more than a fantasy. That was two million pounds sterling! Why should he give it back? It would be good enough if Kronos didn't run home for reimbursement every time he spent a little money. Support himself? As if!

With a fabulously wealthy father and family, why insist on being independent? I'm a freeloader, and I'm proud of it!

Still, he had to seize this chance to make a fortune now that it had landed in his lap. At that thought, Kronos could no longer sit still.

"Uncle Negan, Philip, I really must go. Hearing this news, I feel as though hundreds of thousands-millions-of pounds sterling are beckoning to me. I'm bursting with energy now."

"Hahaha!" The two men in front of Kronos burst out laughing.

But Duke Negan still reminded him, "Sometimes, there's money you ought to make in partnership with others. After all, you're still too young."

At first, Kronos thought Duke Negan wanted a stake in the business. But on second thought, that didn't seem right. The Argel Family could handle this venture themselves. For him to muscle in out of nowhere would only invite resentment for no reason.

After considering those words more carefully, Kronos understood. "Don't worry, Uncle Negan. Professor Portland is already my factory's technical adviser in name. This time, I plan to bring him in as a partner. That should eliminate any hidden problems."

Duke Negan truly hadn't expected Kronos to catch on so quickly. He had thought that even if he said nothing, Marquis Argyle would surely remind the young man, so he might as well speak first and show some goodwill.

But watching Kronos go from confusion to understanding in the space of a few breaths only deepened Duke Negan's admiration.

"Befriend him in whatever way you think best. I have a feeling he'll be a great help to you," Duke Negan told Philip as he watched Kronos walk away.

Duke Negan had always told Philip to judge prospective friends by their value and the benefits they offered, and not to invest too much emotion in a friendship. Feelings were useless in a world where interests came first.

But this was the first time he had approved of Philip's approach. He also knew that relationships held together by self-interest could collapse easily. Those maintained through emotion might not be all that sturdy either, but there was a chance they could prove unbreakable.

After leaving Negan Villa, Kronos headed straight home. Backlund University was some distance away, after all. Surely he couldn't walk there as well.

He didn't go inside, however. He simply climbed into a carriage outside the entrance and set off for Backlund University.

"A brilliant idea! Kronos, you're simply the greatest genius I've ever met!" Portland shouted excitedly, holding the formulas Kronos had given him. He could be heard in every office along the corridor.

"Keep your voice down, Portland." Kronos squirmed with embarrassment. After all, he had copied all of this. Claiming it as his own made him genuinely uncomfortable. He had no idea how Emperor Huang Tao had managed to enjoy so many titles with such an easy conscience.

Portland paid no attention to that and asked directly, "What did you come to see me for?"

"These formulas still need refining, and I can't manage it alone. So I'd like to work on them with you, and I'd like you to join my company." Kronos had always spoken plainly with Portland.

"That factory of yours? No problem. Just give me a one-percent stake, and I'll help you verify and promote these formulas." Portland didn't even lift his head. He kept staring at the sheets in his hands as though his gaze were glued to them.

Kronos rejected his proposal. "Not one percent. I want to give you thirty percent, but there are conditions."

Hearing that Kronos had other plans, Portland reluctantly looked up, ready to listen properly to his ideas.

"I want you to put those patents of yours under Walter Factory's name, then take over as head of the factory. Of course, you won't need to manage anything. Whenever there's new technology, just help me research it."

Portland asked in confusion, "But many of my patents are for materials. Once these formulas of yours succeed, those patents won't be worth much anymore."

"But your name is valuable. I want to tie you firmly to my business. From now on, you'll only need to focus on the technology. I'll find someone to handle the rest."

Portland was no fool. He could tell that Kronos intended to provide for him in his old age. Perhaps he wanted to compensate him because the arrival of this new technology would cause his income to plummet.