Oliver stumbled down the stairs, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. As he descended to the ground floor, he saw maids in the lobby, gliding their brooms across the wooden floorboards. Upon passing through the dining room, Oliver found himself in the bustling kitchen, surrounded by the sizzling smells of breakfast.

     Oliver then opened one of the kitchen cabinets, the doors creaking as he did so. His eyes scanned the shelves until they landed on a glistening pan. He grabbed it, immediately placing it on top of the stove. As he gathered the ingredients in the drawers, he felt a sudden, unexpected poke on his shoulders.

"Uhm, sire? Please, allow me to prepare breakfast for you instead," a female cook in her 40s said kindly.

Oliver's eyes twitched at the offer. "Oh, no need to apologise. I'm just used to doing this myself," he replied bashfully with an awkward smile.

     Oliver hastily dismissed himself from the kitchen. He hastened towards the doorway and left. As he left, the cook couldn't help but giggle, her hand covering the smile that had spread across her face.

     Later, the breakfast table is set, and a servant deftly pours a fragrant cup of tea with a hint of lemon before placing it in front of Frederick. Lost in the headlines of the broad, greyish newspaper, Frederick barely notices the steam rising from the plate of food in front of him. He then takes a sip, relishing the warm, comforting taste of the tea.

Oliver cleared his throat, drawing Frederick's attention away from the newspaper. "Excuse me, Dad," he said respectfully.

Frederick glanced up, his gaze lingering on the newspaper before turning to his son. "Yes, Oliver? What is it?" Frederick continued flipping the pages.

"I noticed you haven't touched your food. Aren't you hungry?" Oliver asked politely, glancing at Frederick's full plate.

"Oh, wait, hold on. This newspaper has juicy news and gossip!" Frederick grinned.

"Hehe. You remind me of my former teacher," said Oliver. "She loves gossiping."

Frederick's voice suddenly boomed, startling both Oliver and Gregory. "Boys, you have to hear this! This news is revolutionary!"

Oliver and Gregory turned to face Frederick, their curiosity piqued.

"What is it, Dad?" Oliver asked eagerly.

Frederick leaned forward in his chair with a glint in his eye. "Well, as you know, I served as the mayor of this city two decades ago. And I was re-elected again! But... I recently had to step down from the government due to my age," he stated.

"Right, it's alright," Oliver asked, focusing on his adoptive father. "So, what is it?"

Frederick cleared his throat dramatically. "As of July eighteen twenty... Asbranne has finally elected a new mayor!" he announced as his eyes sparkled.

Gregory lowered his fork. "That's fantastic news!" he exclaimed.

Oliver leaned in closer. "Oh! Who is it? Do we know them?" he wondered keenly.

"Sir Reginald Novelle!" Frederick held up the newspaper, admiring the portrait of the new mayor. "He's quite younger than me. Charming!"

Gregory looked up from his plate, curious. "What do you think he'll do now that he's in charge of Asbranne?" he inquired.

Frederick scanned the article in the paper, his eyes widening in excitement. "He's already announced that he plans to transform this enormous city into a country!" he said.

Oliver leaned in, eager to learn more. "What else is he planning to do?" Oliver questioned.

"It is said! He's a strong supporter of the Industrial Revolution! And! And he has many big plans for the city's future," Frederick continued to read from the article.

"The city is already industrializing and advancing, alright!" Oliver replied. "Soon, those technologies will be more powerful than my power." He then glanced at his palms. "I wonder if my powers will be as useful in this new world."

"Of course, they will be. You're always useful, Oli," Gregory smiled at his friend.

"Aw. Thanks, Greg," Oliver chuckled. "And speaking of useful, you didn't change my trousers last night," he snickered.

Frederick looked up from the newspaper, momentarily confused. "Wait, you want Gregory to take off your trousers? Oop! Never mind. Let's eat," Frederick shrugged, setting the paper aside and grabbing his spoon and fork.

"We finished breakfast already," Oliver laughed, covering his mouth with his hand.