Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

January 2, 882 in the continental calendar. The day after the new year, the workers of the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company resumed operations. The factory workers were busy churning out air brakes, locomotive draft gears, and signaling equipment. While the seasoned engineers of the company are working on a prototype, specifically the train suspension and the piping diagram for the heating system.

Poul was in the drawing room along with the engineers, doing the final touches for schematics of the direct current electric motor and the files that contain its manufacturing processes. He had to finish it by today, double-check it later, and then go to New York next week to personally teach the technical know-how to James Russel's engineers.

Jonathan was also in the drawing room, but instead of working along with the engineers, he was busy making designs for the new office building of the company on his own drawing table.

Every person in the room was occupied and can't be bothered, but there is one who can.

Amelia entered the drawing room and walked over to Poul's side. She took a glance at what he was doing and the moment she saw it, she got dizzy from the engineering drawings. So she gave up and simply stated her reason for coming in.

"The applicants for all the new departments have arrived and have been waiting for you in the main office to interview them one by one. The line is getting big so I suggest that you take care of it as soon as possible."

Poul's eyes didn't even move from the blueprint he was working on, but he responded.

"Aren't those applicants handpicked by you? If that is the case then there's no need to interview them because you already vouch for them."

"That may be right, but the company owners must see them in person to figure out whether he or she will be worth more or less based on your standard line of questioning," Amelia said while crossing her arms and continuing. "Also, I informed you about their arrival yesterday, so you should be expecting this."

"If you see what I'm doing, you can see that I'm quite busy."

"So, should I inform them that the company workers are busy entertaining applicants and they are to return next week?" Amelia asked, her voice growing stern.

"I have a business trip to New York next week and I will not be available for the whole month. You can have Jonathan take care of it," Poul replied, not an iota of concern was expressed.

"I'm sorry but this won't do. Forgive me for the things I am about to do to you."

When she said that, Poul's eyes raised. His gaze flickered to her. Before he could utter a word to explain herself, she suddenly grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the room.

The sudden action of the secretary made the engineers inside the drawing room look up at them and let out a startled gasp. It was a bold move from Amelia, pulling the company owners, her superior, without notice. Even when all that was happening, Jonathan couldn't care less as he was engrossed in drawing the diagrams of the new office building.

In the hallway, Poul was still being dragged by Amelia by the arm.

"Oi…What are you doing?" Poul grunted as he demanded an answer from Amelia.

"Honestly, I don't know if you are doing this on purpose or not. I informed you that the applicants are coming today and yet you are busying yourself with drawing? You may be a smart man when it comes to mechanical devices but without a department in your company, whatever your great mind can come up with will be useless. Please take this seriously, if you want to go to the top then stop fooling around and act like a proper business owner."

Poul was speechless about that. Well, she was right, she did inform him yesterday about the applicants. But, he got too excited working on the electric motor, making him divert all of his focus and attention to it. It's probably one of his bad traits, when something was decided and then suddenly there was a thing that interested him, he would literally forget the thing he agreed upon and turn to the new one.

"I'm sorry," Poul uttered an apology. For now, Amelia was in control of the situation and she had every right to tell him what to do. She has been expending a lot of effort to fix the company's potential drawbacks. She worked day and night reading files and searching for potential candidates for the job opening. And then at the end of the day, she'll find the two company owners not taking their job seriously?

What is she doing here in the first place? The industrialist duo needed a secretary and she applied, and now that they have one, they aren't listening to her? It's making her disappointed.

Amelia gave him a cold shoulder, not even giving him a glance as she dragged him out to the exit of building B.

"Are you perhaps mad about me?" Poul asked in a careful tone.

"I'm just disappointed at the way you talked earlier. It's sounding like you are not taking me seriously," Amelia confessed. She stopped walking and turned to face Poul, looking straight into his soul. Her expression was serious enough to scare the hell out of him, as this was quite the opposite of her innocent look.

"Fine, I admit, I kind of messed it up earlier. I'm sorry if I'm not acknowledging your efforts to help this company to change for the better. It was neglect on my part and I hope that I receive your apology. I will talk to Jonathan, change the way we act, and work seriously as if our life depended on it."

"Mister Nielsen, you should know that I'm not doing this for both of you, but for your company. Like Lady Caroline, I saw a huge prospect in your company. I want to see your visions for the company come to reality, I really do. But if you continue to behave in the way you showed me earlier, then I will have no choice but to resign."

"No..!" Poul's words came out naturally. When she said that, he felt his heart getting crushed, making him sad should Amelia do that.

"Anything but that," Poul pleaded subtly.

"Fine, you have my apology, but only after you interviewed the applicants," Amelia said in a soft tone.

Poul sighed a relief inwardly, relieved that she wouldn't leave the company. She was an asset that he couldn't bear to lose as it would surely negatively impact them in the long run. Yet despite knowing it, he was still acting aloof. He hated himself when he did that.

"Okay, I'll interview the applicants just as we agreed upon yesterday," Poul said in a genuine voice.

A beautiful smile spread across her lips. "Great, then let's get moving."

With that, Poul interviewed about eighty applicants. It took him seven hours to complete interviewing all of them. Of those eighty applicants, fifty of them were hired and filled the vacant positions in five major departments. Sales, marketing, finance, production, and human resource.

Poul rubbed the temple of his forehead with his fingers, feeling tired from all the talking. He wanted to remain silent for a while as Amelia processed the applications of the applicants so that they may start working at the soonest time possible.

"Great work, Sir Nielsen," Amelia said to which Poul looked at her with a slight nod. "You may have your rest now, I'll do everything from here."

"No," Poul replied, grabbing Amelia by her elbow, but gently. "You should take some rest, you've been with me for seven hours listening to the mundane and repetitive questions and answers. You, working hard for the company is admirable but doing it too hard could result in your body collapsing."

"Thanks for your concern, Sir Nielsen. But I can handle myself," she said as she stood up.

But the moment she got on her feet, she started swaying from left to right as dizziness struck her head. She almost lost her footing and tipped forward.

Poul's mind blared in alert, he got up to his feet and caught her in his arms before she could fall onto the ground. Holding her close against his chest, his heart raced in concern.

"This is what I'm scared about. You are pushing yourself too hard," Poul whispered worriedly, keeping hold of her tightly.

"I'm fine, I promise. Just exhausted," Amelia murmured back weakly and tried to get up. But there was no strength in her limbs.

"I don't understand, I gave you reasonable work hours and why do you feel weak? Are you eating properly?"

Amelia's silence made her guilty.

Poul sighed. "You dummy, why are you doing that to yourself? This won't do, I'll carry you to your bed and take your rest there."

Poul lifted her up like a princess and carried her upstairs. Amelia was feeling embarrassed by the entire affair, she didn't expect to become so vulnerable so quickly. She was never the type to show emotion in front of others and certainly didn't allow anyone to see her weak side. She kept everything bottled up inside her and refused to let anybody else inside.

Arriving at the bedroom, Poul sat Amelia carefully on the bed.

"Uhm…Sir Nielsen…"

"Don't speak. For now, I am ordering you to take a rest for two days. That means no work, just regain your strength. And once your strength returns, I want you to promise me that you will take care of yourself from that day onwards. Am I clear?"

"But…who would be your secretary?"

"Jonathan can fill up that role. Don't worry, he has the skills to do it, and I'm sure he is going to understand."

"I'm…sorry…" Amelia muttered apologetically.

"Don't be. This is my fault for not looking after my workers properly. Now that I know the consequences, I will be careful from now on. I will take care of you while you are resting. I'll go get you some food before you can sleep."

After saying that, Poul left the bedroom, leaving her alone in the room for a while.

At that moment, Amelia's expression softened, her heart thumped fast, and her cheeks flushed. Then after a few seconds, she uttered.

"Poul..."