Chapter 262: An Inspired QWASPP (1/2)
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The link is also in the synopsis.
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George and Lia walked in the corridors of West Manor.
”I'm a bit worried about him,” said George.
”Why? What did he do now?” asked Lia, the twenty-seven-year-old, who looked to be in her early twenties.
”He's barely at home these days. He goes out in the morning to the gym of his; I'm already gone by the time he returns for breakfast. Then Rosey tells me that he goes out again soon after that only to return in time for supper.”
”Does he say where he goes?”
”He names places, towns, cities, seaside ports; he has named almost every portion of the country. But that isn't much to go with.”
”I'm sure he's just going to the Greengrass' place,” Lia grinned, looping her arm with her grandfather.
George hummed.
”So, any idea what he's going to show us today?” she asked.
George shook his head. ”Just that it's not something new. Or that what's he told Elliot.”
”Then I hope it's something we already sell,” sighed the person in charge of every subsidiary built for her brother's inventions. ”Opening a new company every year's bothersome work, not to mention looking for the correct people to lead those companies. There are so many people with their top bunks empty.”
”You can always pass one of them to Elliot.”
”No, that won't be necessary,” said Lia in firm refusal. She was trying to build a reputation in the West businesses that didn't have anything to do with her family name. She was secure enough to delegate responsibility to her subordinates, but passing on the companies assigned to her, which involved her baby brother's inventions, wasn't something she was going to do anytime soon. ”Uncle Elliot oversees more than twice number companies than I do. He already makes it like I'm wet behind the ear; I don't want to make further fun of myself.
”Good,” said George, satisfied, ”if you accepted, I would've been disappointed.” He didn't oversee any of the companies, but when he was working under his own father, he oversaw thrice as many companies as Lia and expected her to reach that level someday.
”Oh, we're here.” Lia removed her arm from George's as the door to the room where they were going to spend the upcoming time came into view. ”Let's see what he for us today.”
Lia opened the door with George peering from above her head. They stared at a door standing in the middle of the room, and from behind the door, Quinn's face peaked out with a white sketch marker clenched between his teeth.
Quinn opened his mouth to speak, letting the maker fall, but it began to float up immediately after being let go. ”Excellent time, both of you. I just finished putting the last touches on the product today; please gather around so that we can start this year's QWASPP.”
”Now, what this might be?” asked Lia, moving around the cerulean blue door standing in its frame.
”It's a door,” said Quinn, puffing his chest as he crossed his arms.
George brushed his hand against the door pane. ”This is.. . not a good wood, neither is the craftsmanship. What is this made from?”
”Common Oak,” said Quinn. ”As for the craftsmanship, it's made like that purposefully.”
”What does it do?” asked Lia excitedly as she wrapped an arm around Quinn's shoulder.
”Well, you might actually recognize it without me telling you,” Quinn took out a skeletal key hanging from a thin chain from his pocket, and the moment George saw the gold glint of the metal, his eyes widened.
”Is that an Abate key?” George asked, taking the key into his hand.
”No,” said Quinn chuckling, ”while I would love to have a key that could access the Abate network, I don't have it.” He smiled at the key, ”Though, this key in your hand does work something like Abates.”
Lia looked at the door, ”You mean.. .”
”Grandfather, would you like to do the honors,” said Quinn.
George nodded. He took the key to the door and used it to open the door with a click. He grabbed the doorknob above the keyhole and twisted it for the door to open to a back alley street.
”It's really like the Abate network,” said George as he stepped out into the deserted street with Quinn and Lia following after him.
”Ah, so we are in North Yorkshire,” said Quinn looking around.
Lia frowned, ”Why do you say it like that?” Even George noticed how Quinn worded his sentence.
”Well, this is a QWASPP, so I'm going for something that we can sell,” said Quinn. ”Britain already has the floo network, and while walking through a door would be much better jumping into a fireplace, I don't think if we can take floo out of Britain.. . well, maybe we can, but that's not what I made this for.”
”Then what?” asked Lia.
Quinn looked at George. ”Grandfather, do you know what a Vanishing Cabinet is?”
George's eyes widen with realization. He looked at the door, then at the desolate street, then back at Quinn, who smiled.
”It's the best time to sell something like this,” said Quinn.
”Uhm, what are we talking about here?” asked Lia.
”Vanishing Cabinets — are a pair of cabinets connected to each through the means of spatial magic that allow an object or person to enter one cabinet and exit through the other. They have been a popular household item to have during wars — they were especially favored here in Britain during the last war to escape using them when the Dark Lord and Death Eaters stuck.”
”That doesn't make sense,” said Lia, recalling one of her readings on the war, ”didn't Death Eaters attacked people in their homes,” she looked at the door, ”if they had these.. . then why?”