Mr. Edmund was a professional who, upon first glance, dressed neatly and wore glasses with a technical air about him, yet if one drew closer, they would faintly sense the hidden blade beneath the presentable overcoat, convincing onlookers that, if necessary, he would make cold and decisive choices without hesitation.
After Lady Lian Xin left, the man in the deep gray, near-black overcoat sat in front of the young girl. He did not look directly at the young Songstress; instead after a cursory glance, he averted his eyes.
"Miss Tilan might be unfamiliar with , so let introduce myself again. My na is Edmund, a representative from the 'Plan Military-Industrial Joint Organization.' It is an organization that rarely makes its presence known to the public, and our undertakings are mostly concealed beneath the surface, as they are unrelated to the common populace, hence few people know of us."
"You might be hearing this na for the first ti, but from now on, it will be one of your safeguards, because its deterrence is sufficient," he asserted.
"Didn't Mr. Anon just say that Mr. Edmund is currently the chairman of the organization?" the girl questioned with so confusion when he introduced himself rely as a representative.
"That's because even Anon barely scratches the surface of our organization. The so-called chairman is rely a title rotated among the eleven representatives. We eleven are just the tip of a massive iceberg subrged beneath the water," he explained.
"The reason I am disclosing such critical information during our first eting is to convey our goodwill and sincerity," he stated.
"In the preliminary assessnts, your personality has proven to be cautious and rational. Therefore, we are willing to share so information with you, which is currently accessible," he told her.
"Thank you," she responded.
"This concludes our eting today. I look forward to all that Miss Tilan will accomplish in the future." After finishing his words, he pushed a small encrypted business card towards her, then stood up, gave a slight bow, and left decisively.
Half a minute later, a man with a solemn air and deep blue hair took the seat in front of Tilan.
"Hello, I'm Ode," he spoke curtly yet steadily, his voice like hamr strikes, securing steel.
"Greetings, Mr. Ode," the girl greeted. As one of the top five powers in the Four-leaf Crystal Star Domain, even Tilan felt nervous in his presence. It's no wonder Lady Lian Xin had been afraid of scaring her.
"Don't overthink it. I will not judge you based on your performance at this mont. It's like telling a part still inside the factory that it will inevitably beco a piece of great, epoch-making work — it's simply too early for such assessnts," he explained.
"Now, I'd like to ask you so questions," he stated.
"Please do," she replied, taking a deep breath inwardly to steady herself.
"You may have grievances with the current state of the Four-leaf Crystal Star Domain, but if you could decide its future direction, what would you want it to look like?" he asked.
"Don't worry about whether it's achievable. Just describe what you view as the ideal situation."
"That would be..." The girl began to imagine such a distant future for the first ti.
"Firstly, there should be no more toxic rain pollution. Then, people could enjoy a standard of living above the federal average, where everyone freely pursues their ideals and hobbies without being mocked for their choices. A just and peaceful social environnt without unnecessary anxiety and impatience," she spoke candidly, recounting her thoughts as they ca to her without much ti to refine and plan them.
"Good, next question. If achieving this goal ant offending many and even facing bloodshed and war, would you still stand by it?" he probed.
"I don't know, because we haven't reached that point yet. If possible, I would try to avoid the worst-case scenario," she admitted.
"I won't ask the third question. I'm pleased to hear Miss Tilan's answer; it brings so solace to my weary heart," he expressed as he stood.
"If you need anything in the future, you can directly reach out to the other directors at the Academy. Due to my special position, I won't leave my contact information with Tilan," he remarked, then departed. His formidable presence dispersed, allowing the young girl to relax.
Though he didn't finish his thought, she could still feel the imnse pressure and responsibilities weighing on Mr. Ode, the Vice Director — heavy as mountains. He didn't seem to consider this new Songstress as his sole reliance. Perhaps in his mind, nothing was reliable anymore; only his determination and the things he firmly controlled could give him assurance.
She knew influencing and affecting such a profoundly steadfast individual was also beyond her current abilities — probably only after climbing to Sequence 7 could she gradually affect and begin to understand the multitude of emotions and issues buried in his heart.
The subsequent etings with other directors were relatively light-hearted, with most focusing on introducing themselves and discussing future collaborations in her role as a Songstress.
That is, until a special director took a seat.
"This is Mr. Hayden, Tilan," Fernandi introduced as he helped an elderly man sit down.
It was through Fernandi that the girl finally realized that it was this elder gentleman who was instruntal in pushing for her admission.
"Thank you, Mr. Hayden," she expressed her gratitude.
"Oh, no need for thank-yous, ha-ha," he replied with a chuckle, his deanor warm and gentle.
"To see such an outstanding and lovely junior is a comforting and joyful occurrence. When one gets old, they tend to beco a bit pedantic, wanting to share their experiences with the younger ones, or to provide so ntorship. It feels like, in doing so, one can pass on sothing elents, which makes facing death a little more peaceful and content," he spoke about death without any reservation.
Reviews
All reviews (0)