The six months after the Imperial Council meeting had passed in a blur of ink, steam and the addictive scent of toasted corn. Life at the Valerius estate had shifted from a place of quiet recovery into a hub of revolutionary industry. Evelina rarely slept more than five hours a night; her mind was a constant pendulum swinging between 31st-century blueprints and 19th-century limitations.
The popcorn factory was now a roaring success. Under Conrad's sharp management, the "Golden Crunch"—as the nobility had taken to calling it—had become the mandatory snack for every theater house and salon in the capital. Julia, once a quiet girl from the village, had stepped into the role of Conrad's right hand. She managed the factory floor with a clipboard and a stern eye, ensuring that the secret of the heating elements remained guarded.
