Reincarnated as an Imperial Prince

The group walked for about five minutes, going through the administrative section until reaching the showroom, the biggest room the automotive department has in the Imperial Dynamic Systems headquarters.

From its size alone, it can be easily mistaken as a factory due to its high ceiling and wide space. But it is not, as there are no conveyor belts that transport cargo from one place to another, robotic arms that install or unmount parts of a machine, and factory workers working by. Instead, the open space is occupied by a wide variety of vehicles, from trucks, SUVs, vans, sedans, and motorcycles, all different in style and colors.

It is like a library or a museum of cars, which can be technically correct since the cars are in this showroom are the vehicles Imperial Dynamics Systems has developed and planning to introduce to the market. Not only that, all of the cars in the showroom are brand new, meaning none of them have made their debut on the road.

Alexander smiled in satisfaction and could feel the tears breaking his eyes. The sight alone was nostalgic, taking him back to the world where he originally came before his soul transporting into this world. Of all the engineering fields he mastered, the automotive field has always been his favorite. He had read many articles about vehicles as well as visited a lot of assembly lines of different brands. And that tour alone enabled him to learn more about their vehicles, down from how they were built. Though basic information about certain vehicles is available to the public such as what engines are used, transmission, and body type, the blueprint wasn’t. But even then, that didn’t stop him from copying their design as he already saw it firsthand.

“Woah…” Tiffania gasped in amazement as she walked into the center and swiveled her head around with a smile on her face, “This is so cool! The designs may be different from the ones on the road but they manage to charm!”  She approached one of the parked vehicles.

Alexander followed Tiffania with his eyes and saw what vehicle she was walking over to. It was a heavy-duty truck, Kenworth W900. It is a conventional-cab truck that was produced in the 1960s. However, the trucks Tiffania is looking at are designs in the late 90s.

Not only are Kenworth truck designs present in the showroom but MAN TG-Range, Volvo FH series, and Ford series as well. Soon those giant beasts will be the backbone of the Ruthenian economy by transporting goods across the country and replacing the old ones, as the old aren’t made to carry containers that will soon revolutionize commerce.

But why is it that Tiffania chose to approach the trucks instead of the SUVs, the vans, or the sedans?

“I’m sure that all of these vehicles are operational, am I right Sebastian?” Alexander glanced at Sebastian who was watching Tiffania enjoying herself. He nodded and continued to observe Tiffania who was admiring all of the cars.

“Yes sir. Everything in this showroom is operational. If you would like, you can test drive it. The keys are already inserted in the ignition switch if you would like to try.”

“No I’m fine,” Alexander rejected the offer as he glanced around the showroom. “Anyways, where is the car that I specifically ordered? Are they here in the showroom?”

“It’s here sir, in the sports car section. It is covered with  a black tarp so it should not be too difficult to spot.”

Before Alexander could say anything, Tiffania’s lovely voice echoed in the showroom.

“Brother, what do you call this vehicle?” she asked while pointing at the car she was curious about.

Alexander, Sebastian, and Philip walked over to her location and looked at the car that she was inquiring about.

“Ah, that’s a Land Rover,” Alexander answered. Its design is a copy of the Land Rover Discovery II. There’s also an SUV copied from Jeep, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedez, and Land Rover. Normally such cars, including the ones they have not seen yet, are impossible to manufacture in this era. But fortunately, Alexander’s investment in the manufacturing industry like utilizing new equipment, tools, and computer-aided software allowed him to time-jump automobile designs similar to the early and late 90s. Not only that, but he also participated in the construction as the head developer.

From all fields, Alexander contributed a lot to the automotive department, making it an advanced department than the rest of the departments of Imperial Dynamic Systems.

“I’m going to take a picture of this,” Tiffania said as she aimed her instant camera and snapped a photo of the car. Then she immediately walked to another car, this time, it was a sedan.

“Hmm…why do the cars your company is building are different from those of the rest? Like they tend to be curvier than boxy,” Tiffania commented, thinking aloud.

Upon hearing it, Alexander gave his honest answer. “That is because curvier designs tend to be aerodynamically efficient. What I mean by that is that they reduce drag, which gives an engine a hard time, and thus has to use a lot of power to overcome the said drag. Curvier design tends to be fuel-efficient and safe compared to the ones already existing. For example, it has seat belts, airbags, and emergency brakes.”

“I see,” Tiffania nodded her head as she took another photo of the cars.

“If you were to choose Tiffania, what would you pick? The boxy car or a curvy car?” Alexander asked.

“Of course the curvy one of course. It sports a luxurious look compared to the boxy one. Also, it has this unique appeal that I can’t describe,” Tiffania answered as her eyes trailed off toward a car that is covered by a black tarp.

It piqued her interest. “Oh, what’s that brother?” Tiffania walked over to the car. When she was about to lift the edge of the black tarp, she was stopped.

“Don’t remove the covers yet,” Alexander replied. His words caused her brow to furrow with confusion as she looked at him.

“Why brother?” Tiffania demanded an answer.

Alex simply shook his head, saying, “Because underneath that tarp is a personal vehicle that I made for myself,” he revealed.

“Oh…” Tiffania was a little taken aback as this was new to her. Her brother created a car for himself, that’s just beyond awesome. “Can I see it?”

“Only if you come over here,” Alexander gestured.

Tiffania returned to him and prompted Sebastian to start.

“So, Sir Alexander, after two and a half years, the vehicle that you designed and built is ready,” Sevastian grabbed one end of the tarp and pulled it aside to reveal a beautiful blue Buggati Veyron.

“After spending three million rubles, I finally got it,” Alexander said as he slowly touched the side of the car.

“Beautiful..!” Tiffania covered her mouth as she gasped in awe. The cars that they passed by earlier paled in comparison to the car she is seeing right now.

Sebastian continued. “What you are looking at right now is the prototype Veyron. It features an 8-liter quad-turbocharged W16-cylinder engine with a power output of 1,250 newtons per meter of torque. For transmission, it uses a dual-clutch direct-shift computer-controlled automatic suspension…”

Sebastian’s voice faded into the background as Alexander stared up, his eyes filled with admiration. This vehicle is truly one of a kind. It might not be the same one he drove on his last day in his original world but it still gave him this sense of nostalgia.

He opened the door and hopped inside. His heart melted instantly the moment he saw its interior. It looks the same as the original.

Then, his hand reached for the keys and inserted them into the ignition switch. The W16 engine roared to life, echoing in the showroom. It sounded intimidating to people standing outside but Alexander found it exhilaratingly exciting. A wide grin plastered on his face as he placed his hands on the wheel.

He tapped the middle of the wheel and the car honked. Tiffania and Philip quickly get out of the way, allowing him to accelerate. Tire marks trailed behind the Veyron as it zoomed past them.

Alexander took it in a minute ride before returning it to its original place.

“It performed just as I expected,” Alexander remarked as he stepped out of the car.

“I’m glad that you liked it, sir,” Sebastian said.