"How was your first day at University, Adelaide?" asked Friedrich Albrecht, as he and Adelaide cantered through the secluded hunting grounds that belonged to the Albrecht estate on large black stallions, both of them dressed in formal fox-hunting gear.
"Not what I expected, Father," replied Adelaide, nudging her horse closer to Friedrich's in order to converse without raising her voice.
"Indeed, it appears that you, Adolf and Max caused quite a stir on social media. You challenged your economics professor, and your security detail dispersed climate change activists quite forcefully," chuckled Friedrich.
"Social media is a cesspool of sloth and degeneracy, I'm surprised that you even keep up with it," scoffed Adelaide.
"Don't let your disdain for it blind you to its potential. As unfortunate as it is, social media is where most of the world's discourse happens these days.
You must always be aware of its dangers and benefits to properly protect yourself," cautioned Friedrich.
"Of course I'm aware of it Father. I just find using it to be a waste of my time, I'm not some filthy commoner to be influenced by soulless algorithms," said Adelaide.
"That is true, it can be a colossal waste of time. Fortunately, my social media team was able to contain your antics," chuckled Friedrich.
"Coming back to the topic of university. I did make one acquaintance, Tomoe Yamamoto," said Adelaide.
"Tomoe Yamamoto? What sort of person is she?" asked Friedrich.
"She is able to hide it quite well, but she is from a proud Japanese family of wealth and influence. Although, I suppose she won't be hiding it any longer," chuckled Adelaide.
"Well, I'm glad that you have found at least one like-minded individual. On to other matters, I have decided to start involving you in our business operations," chuckled Friedrich, as Adelaide's eyes lit up in excitement.
"You should have told me that sooner, Father! Let's get back so we can start!" said Adelaide excitedly, spurring her horse to a gallop as they raced back to the stables.
----
Adelaide kept a tight control on her excitement as Friedrich showed her around the advanced facilities of their company's main engineering campus located in Switzerland.
Albrecht Nuclear Systems, the family owned and run company, was a leader in liquid metal nuclear reactor design and development, and had extensive dealings with various nuclear-power friendly governments and energy companies.
"We mine, refine and breed our own Uranium. And we operate on several international licenses, given Germany's current stance on nuclear power.
Our reactors are built and tested here at this facility before they are shut down, emptied, and shipped to our clients and business partners," explained Friedrich as he led Adelaide back to his office.
In his office, Friedrich continued: "Our reactors have already seen widespread use in Russia's nuclear submarine fleet, as well as in CERN's main power plants. There has been interest from the French government for a contract to upgrade their older nuclear power stations with our new liquid metal reactors."
He stopped his explanation, and surveyed Adelaide closely.
"I think you are concealing some very important information, Father. This business of ours is extremely tightly controlled, how are we allowed so much independence?" asked Adelaide.
"Good girl, you caught that quickly. Our independence is all thanks to how our civil and military contracts are structured, as well as our Russian business partners.
The Atomic Energy Commission thinks we only fabricate reactor parts, while our military reactor development and production facilities are classified and protected by the Russian government.
The USSR may have been communist, but they were not above making deals with us to gain an advantage over those self-righteous Americans and their allies.
That attitude is even more prevalent today," said Friedrich.
Adelaide blushed at his compliment. "Thank you, Father. One thing that still concerns me is Germany's anti-nuclear stance.
Wouldn't it be prudent to back or fund politicians who are favorable to us so that we may use our expertise to advance our own country?" she asked him.
"Don't mix patriotism with business pragmatism, child.
Politicians are back-stabbing snivelers who change sides and stances to whatever they perceive will keep them in office.
A better approach is to win private citizens, the military, and businessmen over to our point of view. They will then do the job for us," said Friedrich.
"I see. I have much to learn, but I will prove that I'm a worthy successor to you, Father" said Adelaide fervently.
----
The torture chamber, deep within the basement of Castle Albrecht, was one of Adelaide's favorite places.
While the torches had been replaced with energy efficient OLED fixtures, the dark chamber was lit only by an array of flickering candles placed in the center of the massive stone room, casting an eerie yellow light over the various medieval torture devices.
Adelaide, clad in a black leather over-bust corset, black leather elbow length gloves, black leather pencil skirt, and black leather thigh high boots with sharp metal stiletto heels, stood near the torture chamber's large, heavily reinforced door. She held a long, wicked-looking, black leather bullwhip in her right hand.
With a deep breath, she raised her hand, and deftly swung the whip.
It cracked through the air and extinguished a single candle in the array.
Another deadly crack sliced the extinguished candle in half.
With quick, precise swings, Adelaide expertly extinguished and broke six more candles, before the chamber door opened with a heavy rattling.
"E-excuse me, Mistress Albrecht, but Master Albrecht wishes you to join him in his office," said a maid, timidly poking her head into the torture chamber.
"I'll be there in twenty minutes," said Adelaide, furious that her whipping practice had been interrupted.
The maid scurried away as Adelaide swung her whip again, destroying the remaining candles, before she hung it on a nail in the wall, and left the torture chamber.
Adelaide strode into her bedroom, her boot heels clicking menacingly on the smooth, tiled floor. "Father should know better than to disturb me while I'm practicing with my bullwhip. This had better be important!" she thought furiously, as she opened her walk-in closet.
After a quick deliberation, she pulled a black leather blazer from the clothing rack and buttoned it closed over her corset.
"This should be good enough," she thought, as she quickly brushed her hair and touched up her makeup. With a final glance at herself in the mirror, she left for Friedrich's office.