News of Victoria's brilliant performance before the King spread like wildfire through London's high society.
Although no one knew the exact details, everyone had heard that Her Royal Highness had offered astonishing insights regarding the amendment to the Poor Law, earning even the high praise of Prime Minister Lord Melbourne.
Immediately, politicians who had previously dismissed Victoria as a mere child and a puppet were left deeply shocked. One after another, they began to reassess the true importance of this future queen.
Meanwhile, the mastermind behind the remarkable advice—Arthur—remained hidden, continuing to live in his small attic as he planned his next move.
He knew very well that simply being a "ghostwriter" for the Princess was far from enough. Such a relationship was too fragile; if someone more capable appeared by her side, or if he were exposed, he would immediately fall back into obscurity.
He needed a career of his own, money of his own, capital of his own, in order to truly stand firm in this world.
Money was a man's strongest backbone.
"System, show me the shop," Arthur murmured to himself.
Ding! Opening the shop. Current available balance: £150.
Arthur opened the system's shop and began browsing what he could afford.
Telegraph technology—£300. Too expensive.
Internal combustion engine principles—£800. Even more unattainable.
He redirected his attention to low-level technologies—simple inventions that did not require advanced industrial capability, yet could immediately generate enormous commercial value.
Soon, one entry captured his attention.
Hand-crank sewing machine design (improved version)
Price: £80
Note: This design optimizes the rudimentary prototypes of the early 19th century, solving issues such as skipped stitches and jamming. Its simple structure and ease of manufacture make it superior to all similar products currently available.
That was it.
Arthur's eyes lit up.
Britain was a major textile nation with extremely high production efficiency, but clothing manufacture still relied heavily on women sewing by hand, stitch by stitch. A skilled seamstress needed several days to make a simple shirt.
Efficiency was the greatest bottleneck of this era!
Whoever solved the problem of efficiency would make a fortune.
The sewing machine was essentially a money-printing machine—perfect for this age.
"Buy it!" Arthur commanded without hesitation.
£80 were instantly deducted, and a massive stream of information flooded his mind. The complex yet elegant sewing machine design—every dimension, material requirement, and assembly process—was etched into his memory as if carved by a blade.
But now he had a new problem.
He had only £30 left.
To build sewing machines, he needed iron, gears, access to a workshop, hired labor—everything required money. For now, he was, in his own words, a "high-class beggar" living under Fat Chief's roof, with pockets cleaner than his face.
Ask Fat Chief for an investment?
Arthur shook his head. The man was a competent businessman, but far too conservative. Asking him to invest in an unheard-of contraption would certainly make him hesitate, and even if he agreed, he would impose harsh conditions.
Then… who should he ask?
The proud, beautiful face of Princess Victoria appeared in Arthur's mind.
Was there any better seed investor than the future Queen of England?
And Arthur didn't want just money. He wanted to use this opportunity to bind his interests to Victoria's—at a deeper, more enduring level.
He decided to act immediately.
He reopened the secret communication channel between him and the Princess.
This time he did not speak of politics; the letter carried the tone of an "inventor."
"Dear Princess Victoria,
Recently, while observing the working women of London, I found their labor extremely exhausting and their efficiency very low. This inspired an idea: perhaps mechanical energy could replace part of their heavy manual work. I have drawn a small sketch, hoping it may bring you a smile…"
At the end of the letter, he attached a simplified and artistically enhanced drawing of a sewing machine.
This letter once again stirred Victoria's imagination and curiosity.
She had just achieved a great political success thanks to Arthur's wise guidance; she was at the height of her admiration and trust in him. And now, he had designed an entirely new kind of sewing machine!
The device in the sketch looked unusual, yet radiated an industrial elegance. Victoria was instantly fascinated.
A machine to sew clothes? Simply extraordinary!
And for reasons she could not explain, she firmly believed Arthur's idea would succeed.
She took action immediately.
Using her status, she quietly summoned one of the most skilled and trustworthy artisans of the Royal Workshop.
"Master Barton," Victoria said, handing him Arthur's design, "I need you to secretly construct this machine for me, following every detail of this drawing. Report all material requirements and costs directly to Frances."
The elderly craftsman studied the design for a long moment, visibly bewildered.
"Your Royal Highness… what is this? It looks like a spinning wheel… and also a mill…"
"You do not need to know what it is," Victoria said with gentle but irrefutable authority. "You only need to build it."
"Yes, Your Royal Highness."
Over the next month, a secret "project development" unfolded right under Kensington Palace's nose.
Through letters, Arthur continuously provided technical assistance:
"The shuttle hook curvature must be slightly smaller or the machine will skip stitches."
"The needle bar must be made of tempered steel; otherwise, it will not be hard enough."
"The precision of the transmission gears determines the machine's lifespan—make them as accurate as possible!"
Finally, one month later, the first prototype—a metal, steampunk-like hand-crank sewing machine—was delivered to the Princess's room in secret.
When Victoria personally turned the crank and saw the needle fly up and down, oiled and swift, stitching a perfect straight line on white cloth at such speed it left afterimages, her beautiful blue eyes widened and her small mouth formed a stunned "O."
"My God…" Frances gasped, "it's incredible…"
Yes! It truly was incredible.
This was the power of technology.
Victoria instantly understood the terrifying value hidden in this machine.
This was not merely a change—it was a revolution. A terrifying revolution that would shake the entire clothing industry. And the person who ignited it was none other than her trusted Arthur.
Her heart pounded wildly. She knew she had to seize this opportunity.
Without a moment's hesitation, that very night she secretly sent, through Frances, a large sum of money— £ 600 , her private savings accumulated over the years—along with the prototype, directly into Arthur's hands.
At the same time, using her royal connections, she quietly registered a patent for this "new type of sewing machine," clearly listing the patent holder:
Arthur Lionheart.
In the letter she sent along with the funds, she wrote:
"Dear Arthur,
You are truly a genius to observe the working women and conceive such a magnificent idea for the future. I am certain your invention will succeed in the clothing industry. It is a great honor for me to assist you; this is but a token of my gratitude—one you fully deserve. Please accept this money."
—Yours sincerely, V.
Staring at the heavy pouch of coins and the precious patent document on his table, Arthur took a deep, steadying breath.
He knew his first major success in this world was now secure.
And the sincerity in Victoria's words—her belief in his future—was genuine and pure.
From this moment on, he and the future queen were no longer merely "friends" and "advisor."
They had become partners.
A shared interest.
A shared future.
A bond far more reliable than any vague promise of friendship.