Vanderbilt kingdom

Meanwhile, Michael arrived at Castelle's office to talk about the current state of their project.

"I'm sorry, Young Master. I've been extremely busy as of late," Castelle admitted, forcing a wry smile on her face. Her usually neat appearance was in complete disarray. Loose strands of her hair framed her face, and her uniform was visibly creased. "I underestimated how much demand we'd have with the plumbing system."

Michael felt sorry for her. The papers and contracts strewn around the room told him that this was an extremely stressful time for his CEO.

"But this is good, Young Master!" she continued. "Our profits have shot off through the roof! Just as you expected, the profits will far surpass the expenses we need to construct the sewer system. The money we'll gain from this will be enough for us to expand into other cities!"

Michael nodded, satisfied with how fast the Reborn company was growing.

"There's more. I have also heard that a wealthy individual from overseas has taken an interest in our products. They are requesting to buy all our products in bulk—this deal alone would bring us a profit of more than a million gold coins!"

Michael raised an eyebrow, surprised by the unexpected news, but he didn't think much of it.

Only later would he realize how important that individual was—but that was a story for another time.

At that moment, Michael and Castelle heard a knock on the door.

The person on the door didn't wait for a response and opened the door, revealing Michael's father, Bart Vanderbilt.

"Michael, are you ready? We'll start our journey to your Grandfather's estate today."

Michael completely forgot that they were supposed to start on their journey to visit his Grandfather today.

Now that he had undergone his Talent Awakening, it was finally time to present himself before his Grandfather, the legendary man who built the Vanderbilt business from nothing.

For the whole week, his parents had been stressing over this meeting, ensuring he looked the part. They made sure to commission the finest tailors to craft the best suit for him, making him look more mature and respectable. Though, in Michael's opinion, it made him look a bit uptight.

They were worried about this meeting because this was what would decide his future as a Vanderbilt.

Will he earn the favor of his Grandfather and inherit some of his immense wealth? Or would he simply remain a Vanderbilt in name alone?

Although they were confident that Michael was more than talented enough to interest his grandfather, they still couldn't help but be anxious about the whole carriage ride there.

Michael wasn't particularly concerned—after all, his Reborn company was already bringing in a fortune. But his father reminded him that compared to the entire Vanderbilt business, his profits were nothing more than a mere drop in front of an ocean.

Not only that, but earning the favor of his grandfather would allow him connections with a lot of influential people, allowing him to become a powerful figure in the future.

But Michael didn't care much about any of that. The only reason why he wanted to visit his Grandfather was because he wanted to put a face to the legendary name of Yze Vanderbilt.

He hadn't heard much about his Grandfather, but from the small tidbits of stories his father told him, it looked like his Grandfather was a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will.

He used to be an impoverished orphan who once didn't even have a bronze coin in his pocket. But within a century, he built a business empire that conquered the entire world.

So, Michael was very interested in meeting his Grandfather.

_____

After almost a month of travel, they finally arrived at the Main Vanderbilt Estate—or the more accurate name for it would be the Vanderbilt Kingdom.

After all, the name suited it better. The estate was vast, it looked even larger than Kingsbridge itself. There were multiple mansions and castles within its towering walls, creating a miniature world for themselves.

Bart explained that most of his relatives lived within the Vanderbilt Kingdom, managing their territories as if they were royals.

Michael had a lot of relatives. A lot. 

It seemed that his grandfather was quite a lady's man, marrying more than five wives and taking even more concubines.

As a result, Michael had nearly a hundred aunts and uncles, all of whom had their own families.

Bart was the youngest and the last of the old man Vanderbilt's children. After his birth, Yze Vanderbilt got too old to bear any more children.

This meant that, in terms of inheritance, Michael wasn't really supposed to receive anything. Even Bart himself had only received the businesses in Kingsbridge, which was very small compared to the fortune his older siblings had been granted.

The only ones who could be considered for an inheritance would be Michael's oldest cousins, the children of the eldest children of Yze Vanderbilt.

However, even then, Bart and Lylia were hoping that with Michael's talent, he would be given an exception.

After all, Michael wasn't just gifted, he was a once-in-a-thousand-year genius. He was a prodigy in magic, a talented entrepreneur who had created his own thriving business, and most importantly, he was the bearer of a Supreme Skill after his talent awakening.

There was no one more talented than he.

At last, they reached the gates of the Vanderbilt Kingdom.

They were quickly let inside after a brief inspection of their family emblem. 

Upon informing the guards of their purpose of visit, they quickly escorted them into the main estate, the house where his Grandfather lived.

Once they approached the mansion, Michael finally caught a first glimpse of the immensity of the Vanderbilt wealth. Exotic animals roamed, and nearly extinct trees formed a jungle, almost becoming a zoo.

Michael knew Vanderbilt had too much money to spare—enough that even those animals had their own mansions and dedicated caretakers.

As they traveled further and further inside the estate, Michael finally saw the main territory of Grandfather Vanderbilt.

The mansion itself was very large, made up of very expensive and exotic materials that Michael had never even seen before. 

It was so vast that they were even given a map so that they wouldn't get lost within the mansion.

Thankfully, Michael and his parents didn't have to wander around the mansion. Their only purpose for this visit was to meet with his Grandfather, so they went straight towards his grand chambers.

Bart and Lylia each took one of Michael's hands as they slowly walked towards the towering double doors.

Today was the day Michael would receive his inheritance. And it all depended on this meeting.

As they opened the door, they were met with a large chamber fit only for a King. 

A magnificent throne loomed at the very end of the chamber, flanked by high arches and grand columns that gave the entire chamber a sense of majesty and grandiosity.

The intricate paintings and tapestries lined the sides of the walls, depicting multiple portrayals of the world, signifying the Vanderbilt family's control over global commerce.

Every piece of furniture, whether it be a chair or a table, was ornate with real gold, dragon scales, and even pearls harvested from the deep sea.

Bart and Lylia immediately kneeled to show their respect, and Michael followed suit a second later.

Seated beside the throne was the Board of Directors—the highest-ranking members of the entire Vanderbilt business.

They answered no one but Yze Vanderbilt himself.

"We have come to ask a favor from my father," Bart said, keeping his head low. "My son has recently awakened a Supreme Talent and has proven himself to be a genius unlike any other."