Chapter 228: 228. Tragedy of Pedro
He hung up the call and saw the envious gaze of Joubert.
"What is this?" Joubert asked him.
Magnus smiled proudly, "This is the future, the latest invention of FutureTek, a true portable cell phone. It lasts a whole day with one charge and can hold up to 100 contacts. Ah, I got one if I remember correctly. Since you are going to be a big part of the new company we will have to be in contact."
Magnus took out a phone from his desk locker and handed the box to him, "This isn't released in the market yet so be sure not to reveal it to the world yet. Mine and a few other important contacts will be in there. There is also a manual on how to operate it, you can go and study it. If you have any doubts just call me."
Wim Joubert happily took it and left the office. Magnus also decided to head home and spend some time with his mummy dearest. However, instead of calling an elf, he took the company car. The reason was simple, he always rushed and never got time to think, car rides were times when he could think about the present and the future.
The car was a black 1973 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. It was a good looking car and had been custom made with high-grade bulletproof steel and glass. On top of that, it was enchanted to teeth to survive even a direct RPG hit.
The driver was none other than Abe, he loved to drive cars. Funnily, be it driving or teleporting, an elf was there.
"To home, sir?" Abe asked like a good driver. He was totally roleplaying.
Magnus chuckled, "Yes, Abe. But drive normally, no need to drive like The Knight Bus."
"Aye aye, sir." Abe started driving.
Magnus was left to his thoughts. ~Hmm, my THE plan has come out very well, can't believe just last year I proposed it. For Technology, I got FutureTek, for Healthcare I got the new hospital for now, and for entertainment, I finally got Warner Bros. As long as I can work on these three, money won't be a problem for my many generations. I'm afraid I'm going to be the richest King to have ever lived, even if just my muggle assets are counted. Ah, I should call Edgar and check how the bidding is going on in Saudi.~
For this call, he did not use the cell phone but instead the full telephone provided in the car. It would first relay the signal to the base station and that base station would connect further.
After a minute Edgar picked it up so he asked. "How did it go?"
Edgar replied very excitedly, "Fine and easy. We undercut everyone and secured to build a full 600 kilometres long double-track trans-Saudi railway line, 35 bridges, 20 underpasses, 150 kilometres of 6 lane highway, 6 skyscrapers, 1 palace for the country's administration offices. Oh, they also asked us to conduct a survey to build a metro system in the future as they expect Riyadh to get more populated. In total, we have struck a deal of 3.9 billion pounds.
"This is huge, sir, according to my calculations, with our efficiency we can finish it in 2.5 billion, leaving us 1.4 Billion in profits. I told the administration to prepare the full payments by the end of next year, we will have completed the projects here. For now, they will be paying us 25 per cent of the amount. But, I am going to need to find more wizards to hire, I have sent my agents to other countries with a troubled half-blood and muggle-born population."
Magnus' felt butterflies in his stomach, making this much money so fast was crazy, and this was all legal cash. "That is very good, Edgar. If what you said is right, I'll make sure everyone gets a fat bonus after this. How much did we undercut thought?"
"By 300 million. Others were demanding 4.4 billion. However, there was one Soviet company that even tried to undercut us. Haha, King Faisal asked them to sign the contract right then and there, those guys left the bidding all embarrassed. But I did leave some bread crumb projects for others to take, like building canals or sewage lines." Edgar told everything. He was himself surprised to receive such a big deal. But he knew this was because of Magnus. The way Saudi officials treated him and his team were like he was some kind of an ambassador.
Hell, he even got to meet the king, whom he told that it'd at most take 1.5 years to finish all the projects. This news made the king very happy, as the faster it was finished the faster he could show his achievements around. This was the sad life in a monarchy, even if you are the king, you still need to boast around and need to win some brownie points from his followers.
"Then I will await your return. have a safe journey." Magnus hung up the call.
Next, he called Tom. The man had been recently promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent and now commanded the whole CID and Violent Crime Division. Everyone in the police department had thought he was just another useless promoted officer due to his luck.
But he turned out to be the most successful officer in recent times. The speed at which Tom solved cases were phenomenal and each case had such solid evidence that conviction was guaranteed. Now, everyone knew nobody could stop Tom from climbing the ladder, and nobody dared to mess with him either as it was known that Tom and Magnus knew each other.
"Abe, why don't you find a female elf and maybe settle down? You gotta have a family after all. What proof do you have that you were ever alive?" Magnus talked to his elf friend.
Abraham Lincoln chuckled, "Sir, I am sure you will not let our names be forgotten. And, finding a female elf is not easy, not when all of them are brainwashed."
"Why? We found Dobby." Magnus rebutted.
"No sir, Dobby is very unique, I sometimes doubt that he had hurt his forehead in the past and forgot most of the memories, only that could explain his hunger for freedom." Abe reckoned.
Magnus laughed, "Then, what about the states? Are there any free elves?"
"Oh yes yes... there are, sir. There are many free elves since slavery and freedom are very sensitive topics there." Abe replied.
Magnus rubbed his chin, "Hmm, we might go there soon, I will take you and George along, you need to further your families."
*BEEP BEEP*
They arrived at home. The horn was for the guards to open the gates. The security was pretty tight here.
Magnus went inside and saw his mother, grandparents, Martha, Adam and Ragnar were sitting in the living room, watching the news on the television, chatting and laughing. The atmosphere was very cosy and good. The bump on Grace's tummy was also slightly visible now. He could not wait for his little sister to be born so he could spoil her.
"When did you return, sweetie? Ragnar said you had important things to do." Grace asked. At most, she was only told that he was going to South Africa.
"I returned in the morning but had some work at the office. How are you? How was your day?" Magnus inquired.
She smiled and opened her arms wide, Magnus took the cue and ran to her, hugging her tightly.
"MEOW" Chad also jumped in to hug them. At least he was clean.
"You work so hard, your childhood is vanishing without you even being able to enjoy it." She said, feeling sad about him.
Magnus shook his head, "No mum. I know what my title means, and now that I am bound to be the king, I want to do the best I can. And I am not the only person in recent history to be put in such a situation."
This piqued their interest, Ragnar asked, "Who is the other guy?"
In the past, Magnus had tried to find unfortunate sons like himself in history. Boys who were pushed into politics at an early age. The only person he recently found that felt a bit similar to himself was Pedro II of Brazil.
"The man lived from 1825 to 1891. His name was Pedro II of Brazil, the second and last monarch of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. He was just 5 years old when his father suddenly left for Europe. Suddenly pushed to the main stage, he lived a very grim and lonely childhood and adolescence.
"But what set him apart from any other kid was that he understood the situation he was in. So, he started studying from the age of 5, every single day, so he could rule well. His life's aim was the well being and continued existence of Brazil." Magnus was just reciting the history when his grandmother interrupted.
"Surely the country's ministers won't let a boy of such a small age run the empire, right?" She asked him.
Magnus nodded and then shook his head, "Yes and no, grandma. Yes, he was not given full powers as the law stipulated he needed to be 18 years old. However, the politicians and the minister were so worthless that they had left the country on the verge of collapse. They had lost all faith in their own ability to rule the country on their own. So they accepted Pedro II as an authority figure whose presence was indispensable for the country's survival. And so, on 23 July 1840, the General Assembly(the Brazilian Parliament) formally declared the 14-year-old Pedro II of age. He was later acclaimed, crowned and consecrated on 18 July 1841.
"From collapsing Empire, he turned Brazil into an emerging power in the international arena. The nation grew to be distinguished from its Hispanic neighbours on account of its political stability, zealously guarded freedom of speech, respect for civil rights, vibrant economic growth, and form of government, a functional representative parliamentary monarchy. Brazil was also victorious in the Platine War, the Uruguayan War, the Paraguayan War and many more.
"Pedro steadfastly pushed through the abolition of slavery despite opposition from powerful political and economic interests. A savant in his own right, the Emperor established a reputation as a vigorous sponsor of learning, culture, and the sciences, and he won the respect and admiration of people such as Charles Darwin, Victor Hugo, and Friedrich Nietzsche, and was a friend to Richard Wagner, Louis Pasteur, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, among others." Magnus was very excited all this while, but then he turned sadder.
"There was no desire for a change in the form of government among most Brazilian people, but still the Emperor was overthrown in a sudden coup d'état that had almost no support outside a clique of military leaders who desired a form of a republic headed by a dictator.
"By that time, Pedro was an old man, he had given his all from the age of 5 and had grown truly tired. He had become weary of emperorship and despaired over the monarchy's future prospects, despite its overwhelming popular support. When the coup happened, he did not oppose and did not support any attempt to restore the monarchy. He, all alone, left the country and spent the last two years of his life in exile in Europe, living alone on very little money.
"With this, his reign came to an end. He was overthrown when he was so loved by the people they wanted nobody but him to rule them. Soon, some of his accomplishments were brought to nought as Brazil slipped into a long period of weak governments, dictatorships, and constitutional and economic crises. The men who had exiled him then cried for what they had done. But Pedro had no wish to return as he had already given his all.
"And look at Brazil now, still in turmoil, still unstable, non-existent industries and worsening state of government, corruption is rampant.
"Do you know, his last words before death were, "May God grant me these last wishes—peace and prosperity for Brazil" and when his body was being prepared, a sealed package in the room was found, and next to it a message written by Pedro himself, "It is the soil from my country, I wish it to be placed in my coffin in case I die away from my fatherland."
"Perhaps, if Pedro had decided to take down the military dictators, we could have seen another superpower, based in South America." Magnus ended his small history lesson.
Everyone fell into deep thoughts, wondering what kind of dedication and will the man must have had. To give his childhood, youth and his whole life to the country.
But Magnus was thinking about something else, ~I wonder if my end will be like this too? Sad, lonely... all my life meaning to nothing? NO! I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN! Whoever comes between me and my goals will be destroyed with no mercy. I will not commit the same mistake Pedro made. *Sigh* May his soul rest in peace.~
"Sweetie, why did you go to South Africa?" Grace asked, trying to change the topic as the mood became very sad in the room. However, her brows furrowed when she heard his answer.
"To bring down the separatist government of South Africa and establishing a better one."
"WHAT?!"
"MEOW?"
All except Ragnar questioned in shock, even Chad followed suit. Magnus pulled Chad's cheeks, "What are you questioning me for? Go and run 5 laps of the mansion or no food. I don't want you to die of heart disease."
"Moo Meow... Mwaa..."
Chad probably cursed Magnus in his cat language and slowly left.
[A/N: Oh boy, didn't want to make it a history lesson but it turned out to be. I personally love to read about historical figures, and the story of Pedro II is a really emotional one. The old man gave everything to his country, then a few dumb generals ruined everything. He was only 66 when he died, but if you look at his picture he looks to be in his 80s, probably due to stress or something. Sad. (See the picture in para comment.)]
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