Chapter 70: Revolutionary Leaders Meeting Pt_02
"What I don't understand is why I wasn't informed about the other topics," Alexander asked, as he simply ignored Williams' order as if he hadn't heard it.
"It appears that we may have overlooked informing your group, Alexander. We assumed that because your group is the weakest, you might feel embarrassed and choose not to attend," said one of the individuals on the table, causing everyone to laugh at his remark.
Despite the pretense, the meetings were far from democratic. The group with the most members was considered the king, while the lowest member was viewed as nothing more than a provider of cannon fodder for protests and other activities.
The only reason they had not expelled Alexander's group from their coalition was that they needed their numbers.
As Alexander heard their response, he stormed out of the meeting room, slamming the door behind him out of frustration.
On his way to the bathroom, he kept seeing their grinning faces, which started to irritate him, causing his anger to build up.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and decided to take action. After entering the bathroom and ensuring the door was locked, he retrieved his phone from his pocket and typed in the email address of the individual who had offered to help their cause.
Despite the fact that they desperately needed money, they had originally rejected the offer because they knew that the individual would demand a detailed breakdown of how every cent was spent.
Furthermore, accepting the offer would force them to escalate their revolutionary efforts, increasing their risk of being targeted by the dictator who would want to crush the movement decisively.
Alexander began composing a message in which he accepted the individual's offer, despite it going against the decision made by the group during their meeting.
Upon completing his response, he quickly hit the "send" button without realizing that he had used his personal phone instead of the burner phone provided to him.
His anger had clouded his judgment, causing him to overlook this critical detail. It was a stark reminder of how emotions can impair a person's decision-making abilities.
After making sure the email was sent he left the bathroom and went to wash his hands to make his act believable.
Alexander returned to the meeting and sat in his place like nothing had happened. He tried to act as if nothing had happened but all of this was needles, no one cared to even turn and look at him, they were just happy to continue with their meeting.
"So. How d...….." William immediately started the meeting the moment Alexander sat down on the table.
....
Meanwhile, Aron was practicing his runes, and Nova was observing him both in the virtual and real worlds. When she finally received a response from one of the many revolutionary leaders they had contacted.
[
Dear,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to inform you of our group's decision regarding your offer. Although we received your emails separately, we held a meeting and voted on whether to accept or decline it.
Unfortunately, the majority of our group voted against agreeing to your offer, resulting in a vote of 6 to 1. As a result, they have decided to ghost your emails and not reply to you.
However, I am privately informing you of this decision and agreeing to your support if we can come to agreements and negotiations to the terms and conditions.
Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to collaborating with you to achieve our mutual goals. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Best regards,
Alexander
]
When Nova read the email, she was enraged on Aron's behalf.
[How dare they decide to ignore my master's message!] It was not the rejection of their offer that upset her, but rather their decision to ghost Aron and not inform him of their decision.
If Alexander had not informed them, it would have delayed their plan, as they would have been waiting for a response from people who had already made a decision.
Despite her anger, Nova decided to set it aside and began editing their plan as she waited for Aron to finish his practice.
Since only one group had agreed, she had to revise the actions they had planned to take assuming that at least three groups would agree. She had to make the plan workable under the leadership of only one group, the weakest of them.
During this time, Aron remained unaware of the ongoing events as he continued to practice his runes with all his might.
.....
(Inside the accelerated simulated universe )
Aron continued his training until he reduced the time of the shield rune's activation to nanoseconds, that's when he stopped his training.
It took him a total of 12 hours to reach that level.
When he turned around, he found Nova sitting in the same place she was since he began his training, but her face had the expression of her having something to report.
So, he asked "Is there something you want to say?"
[Yes Sir, we received a reply from the revolutionary groups] Nova informed him.
"A reply and not replies?" Aron asked curiously, wondering whether Nova made a pronunciation mistake which was practically impossible or not.
[Yes sir. A reply, only one.] Nova said as he materialized a hologram with the email sent from Alexander in it in front of Aron.
Aron didn't ask anymore questions, as he turned his focus to the email infront of him.
While Aron was reading the email, Nova did nothing but tried to find out what was Aron feeling as a result of receiving this report.
"That's still better than nothing," Aron said, trying to comfort himself after he finished reading the email.
"Aren't they the smallest ones among all of the groups?" Aron asked after he looked through his memories to recall the details about this group, 'Eden revolutionaries'.
[Yes Sir, they are the smallest ones.]
"Then we have to revise the plan to fit them" Aron said while rubbing his chin as he was contemplating how to revise the plan.
[I have already revised the plan sir, Please take a look] Nova immediately materialized another hologram in front of Aron that showed all of the revised plans.
"Okay, Let's take a look" Aron said as pushed the hologram with the email aside while puling the new one towards him, then he started reading the revised plan on it.
After reading for some time Aron could be heard saying "Good, good" which made Nova very happy that Aron approved her revised plans. though not all of them but most of it.
Aron kept making small adjustments to the plan accounting for what Nova might have failed to account due to insufficient data availability about that specific topic resulting in her being not very knowledgeable about it.
After reading the entire plan and editing some of it within three hours, he turned to Nova and gave her a thumbs up of approval as he said "Good plan", resulting in her having a blush on her face, which she immediately hid using her demigod powers within the simulation world before Aron could see it.
"Anything else?" Aron asked as he pushed the hologram in front of him to the side while getting up from his sitting place.
[Yes Sir. Due to the sender failing to cover his tracks, I was able to trace the email to a luxury hotel in the United States.
Once I discovered this, I took control of the entire network at the hotel and found out that all of the revolutionary leaders were staying there.
From there, I was able to trace their movements and found that most of them have been inside the USA for a considerable amount of time.
The only exception is Alexander, who has been spending most of his time in Eden for his activities, but that's maybe because he had only been the leader for two months since the previous leader was assassinated and still hasn't got acclimated to having power and exploiting it.
So, It might be because he still has the enthusiasm for revolution due to being the youngest and having spent only a short amount of time in a powerful position.]
"So, you are saying that we should use him for the revolution while he still has his enthusiasm and ideals before he succumbs to the temptation of power?"
[Yes Sir, We should also look for ways to contain the other revolutionary groups' leaders, to ensure that they don't interfere with our plans due to their fear of losing their source of income that is sustaining their lavish lives.]
Aron kept nodding his head agreeing to what Nova was saying while thinking of what way he should utilize to shut them up. "For now we can postpone the buying of their silence plan for a little bit, Before that we need to go and meet Alexander and have a face to face conversation to make sure there are no miscommunications"
[Yes, sir. I will begin planning the trip right away.]
"How many hours have elapsed in the real world?" Aron inquired, curious about how much time remained until dawn.
[You spent fifteen hours since you entered the time-accelerated simulated universe, So exactly 3 hours have passed on the outside world.]
"Looks like I still have time. Then let's continue practicing other runes" Aron said as he returned to start his practice of runes as he waited for the dawn to arrive so that he can start his journey to surprise the shit out Alexander by appearing at his hotel for a meeting without him revealing his current location to Aron.
Chapter 71: Setting Up The Meeting
When the morning sun peeked over the horizon, Aron paused his Runic training and logged out of the Universal Simulation to go and prepare himself for the surprise journey.
But before he prepared anything for his journey, he needed to do something else first.
He laced up his running shoes and headed out for his daily run and other exercises to complete his daily quest.
As he pounded the pavement, his mind raced with excitement for his plan finally reaching the starting point.
The significance of the meeting between Aron and Alexander cannot be overstated, as it was crucial for Aron to at least have a face to face with Alexander before fully committing to the plan.
Aron was planning to invest billions of dollars to achieve his goals, and thus, he deemed it necessary to come face to face with Alexander before he fully committed.
After finishing his daily quest, Aron returned home and quickly showered and dressed for the journey ahead.
After he finished his dressing he picked up his watch and new phone and left for the garage.
He didn't need to pick clothes because if he decides to stay longer than a day, he will buy clothes from there.(FUCK, I really want to be a billionaire)
When he arrived at the garage he found Donald ready and waiting for him there, as he had been informed by Nova about the abrupt journey last night.
Aron went to the sleek black car gleaming in the early morning light. He climbed into the back seat and settled in, the hum of the engine signaling the start of his surprise journey.
As they made their way through the city, Aron didn't try to start conversation with anyone, as his eyes were glued to his phone having a conversation with Nova, who was giving him a briefing about the information of Alexander that she managed to collect during the time he was training.
After traveling for some time the car pulled up to a private airfield, and Aron's heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of the sleek jet waiting for him on the tarmac.
He was pretty surprised that Nova had decided to rent a private plane for the journey and not just buy him a VIP plane ticket.
"Thanks' Nova" Aron thanked her as he was being escorted to the private jet.
Nova replied by vibrating the watch Aron wore as she couldn't speak when he was within a group of people..
...….
3 hours later.
The private jet Aron used for the trip touched down at Tampa International Airport, the closest airport to his intended destination.
Once all the necessary airport formalities were taken care of, they set off with a rental car towards the Gulf Coast beach resort, where the revolutionary leaders have been staying for the past three days and will continue to stay for one more week.
Aron was well aware of their staying period at the hotel, due to Nova having obtained information regarding the hotel's bookings and accommodation by having hacked into the hotel's network just the day before.
Throughout his journey to the hotel, Aron kept his gaze fixed on the stunning scenery outside.
He couldn't help but marvel at the natural beauty that surrounded him.
The lush greenery and crystal clear waters of the Gulf Coast were a sight to behold. As his car wound its way through the winding roads, Aron felt a sense of peace and tranquility wash over him.
For a moment, he forgot about the meeting that lay ahead, and simply allowed himself to be lost in the breathtaking landscape. It was as if time stood still, and all that mattered was the present moment. A/n(Damn)
But eventually, the car pulled up at the entrance of the beach resort, and Aron was brought back to reality.
After taking a deep breath, Aron stepped out of the car and made his way towards the hotel to complete his check-in process.
Thanks to Nova's access to the hotel's network, the check-in process went smoothly.
She had used her access to reserve the presidential suite of the resort for Aron, which would provide a private space for him to conduct the meetings without being noticed by anyone.
...…
Alexander could be seen sitting in his hotel room, surrounded by a stack of documents that had accumulated due to his focus on the previous day's meeting.
He decided to take advantage of the rest day and spend his time catching up on the documents.
While Alexander was working hard, the other revolutionary leaders were taking advantage of the resort's facilities without caring about their responsibilities.
They left all of their work to their secretaries to solve by themselves unless it required money, in which case they had to ask for approval from the leaders. Greedy bastards.
As he finished reading the document in his hand and prepared to move on to the next one, his phone suddenly started ringing, interrupting his focus.
The caller ID appeared as unknown, adding a mysterious element to the interruption.
As soon as Alexander answered the call, he spoke into the phone, "Hello?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end, and Alexander's mind raced with possibilities of who could be calling him and how did they get his number. He wondered if it was a trap or if he was betrayed.
"Hello Alexander,"
"Who are you?" Alexander asked the moment he received a reply from the other side.
"There is no need for you to feel anxious or suspicious.
My purpose for calling you is to arrange a meeting where we can meet face to face to discuss the ways in which we can provide assistance and support to you."
The person on the other end of the line quickly shifted the conversation to address Alexander's concerns and fears, hoping that Alexander maintains his composure after observing how he reacted to the call through Alexander's laptop webcam.
"How did you obtain my phone number? I have no recollection of sharing it with anyone," Alexander asked, still perplexed about how the person on the other end had managed to contact him.
"It appears that you may have accidentally sent an email from an unsecured device in haste. We were able to trace the email back to its source, which led us to obtain your phone number," explained the caller calmly.
Alexander was thoroughly frightened upon hearing the explanation, as it suddenly dawned on him that he had indeed sent those emails from his personal phone - the same phone he used to communicate with his loved ones and close friends.
When the man on the other side did not receive a reply from Alexander he continued.
"You don't have to worry about that anymore Alexander, because the moment you agreed to our offer you fell under our protection but before we conclude the agreement we need to see each other and have a face to face talk. So, when are you free?" Asked the man on the other side of the call.
When Alexander had the man say he was under their protection he calmed albeit small but not fully as the idea of it being a trap still lingered behind his brain.
"When would it be possible for you to come and meet me? I am available for most of this week."
"Then how about now?" The moment the question reached Alexander's mind, the door of his room was knocked which scared the shit out of Alexander.
Startled by the knock he put down the phone and quickly opened the drawer of his table to retrieve his gun.
With the weapon in hand, he pointed it towards the door and asked, "Who is it?"
A woman's voice came from behind the door, saying, "Someone has requested that we deliver a message to you."
"Leave the note under the door. I will retrieve it when I am ready," he said firmly, his finger hovering over the trigger as he prepared for any unexpected event.
"Yes, sir," the woman's voice responded before he heard the sound of footsteps getting farther and growing fainter, eventually fading away from the corridor.
When he heard the footsteps recede, he approached the door and peered through the peephole. He saw the hotel worker standing by the elevator, waiting for it to arrive.
As soon as the elevator arrived, the hotel worker got on it and left, disappearing from Alexander's view.
After waiting for a few more seconds, Alexander slowly opened the door while keeping a firm grip on his gun, ready for any unforeseen circumstances.
After cautiously peering through the partially opened door and seeing that there was no one outside, Alexander opened the door fully and picked up the envelope from the ground.
He quickly retrieved it and hastily shut the door behind him.
As soon as he sat back down on his chair, the voice from the phone could be heard asking, "Did you receive our invitation?" It was then that he realized he had left the call running.
"Was that you? And how did you find out which room I'm staying in?" Alexander asked, his tone laced with suspicion.
"You'll find out later. But for now, inside that envelope, there's a key that will grant you access to the Presidential Suite through the elevator.
Come here, and we'll have a detailed conversation," the caller said before abruptly ending the call, leaving Alexander to contemplate whether he should heed the caller's request or not.
As he sat there, his mind racing with doubts and fears, Alexander couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble he was getting himself into.
But something inside him told him that he had to go through with it, that he had to take this chance.
With a deep breath, he stood up from his desk, picked up the envelope with the key, and made his way to the elevator.
He had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side, but a gut feeling kept telling him it was his opportunity to achieve his dream.
Chapter 72: A Talk With Alexander
Ting!!!!
Alexander was jolted out of his deep thoughts by the sound of the elevator indicating that he had reached his destination.
The fact that he reached his destination earlier than expected, without the elevator making any stops, caught him off guard. This was particularly unusual given the size of the resort he was in.
What he didn't know was that one of the advantages of staying in a presidential suite is the privilege of using a special card key that grants exclusive access to the elevator leading to the suite.
If you happen to be the only occupant of the elevator, it will not make any stops on other floors, even if someone else has called it, until it reaches the designated presidential suite.
Once he regained his composure, he adjusted his suit and checked that his gun was still in place at his waist. He then took a step forward and exited the elevator, walking straight into the presidential suite.
"Welcome," a voice echoed through the expansive suite welcoming him.
As Alexander looked towards the direction of the voice, he saw a tall and attractive man walking towards him with his hand outstretched for a handshake.
Alexander reciprocated the handshake while simultaneously scanning the suite for any other occupants.
The man noticed his apprehension and quickly reassured him, "You don't have to be afraid, I'm the only one here."
Upon realizing that his apprehension was noticed, Alexander attempted to conceal his true intentions by saying, "Oh, I apologize for the misunderstanding. I was just admiring the beauty of the suite as it is my first time being inside one."
Alexander attempted to steer the conversation away from his previous actions and also inquire about the man's identity by saying, "By the way, I'm Alexander. And you are?"
Realizing that he had neglected to introduce himself, the man replied apologetically, "Oh, pardon my manners. My name is Aron, Aron Michael." He then proceeded to formally introduce himself.
....
Aron was quite nervous to meet Alexander, but thankfully he managed to calm himself down and act confident in front of him.
He met Alexander and shook his hand with ease, seemingly unconcerned despite the knowledge that Alexander was carrying a loaded gun.
"Shall we have a seat before we begin our conversation? This may take a while. I hope you have no other commitments for today?" Aron suggested, despite being aware that Alexander was on a break and had no scheduled meetings.
Aron's intention behind this act was to reassure Alexander that he did not know everything about him, as he understood how unsettling that knowledge could be for someone.
"Of course," Alexander agreed to Aron's suggestion, and the two began walking towards the luxurious and comfortable looking couches.
"Would you like something to drink?" Aron asked as they settled into their seats.
"No, thank you. Can we proceed directly to the topic?" Alexander replied, indicating a desire to get down to business as he was still nervous about this entire ordeal.
"Alright then," Aron replied, and he promptly began discussing the topic at hand.
"There isn't much that's new or different from what we included in our offer to help.
The purpose of this meeting is solely for me to have a face-to-face conversation with you before I decide to commit to our agreement," Aron explained without beating around the bush.
"Before you decide?" Alexander repeated, emphasizing the word "you."
He was wondering whether Aron was the one who would be providing the help or if he was merely a representative of the actual helper.
"Yes, me," Aron confirmed. "Although I may not look like it, I'm a billionaire."
When Aron finished explaining and saw the dumbfounded expression on Alexander's face, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"I know it's hard to believe that I'm a billionaire at such a young age, but it's true," Aron said, noticing the disbelief on Alexander's face.
"Excuse me for asking this, But how old are you?" Alexander inquired about Aron's age, curious about how young he could possibly be
"23" Aron replied confidently.
Upon hearing Aron's age, Alexander decided to move past the topic and focus on their agreement, as the age of the person did not matter to him as long as they were able to provide the necessary help.
"But why would you want to help us?" Alexander asked, still trying to understand Aron's motive behind offering to help.
"To be completely honest, I am not helping you out of pure compassion or any sentimental attachment. Instead, I am assisting you because your success in reaching your goals and fulfilling your promises will enable me to achieve something that my country has unjustly deprived me of."
"What is the essential thing that has been unjustly taken away from you, to the extent that you have opted to assist a rebel group in order to reclaim it?"
Aron replied curtly, "Ownership and control," without providing further details. However, a tinge of anger could be detected in his tone.
As Alexander detected a hint of anger in Aron's response, he realized that asking for more information might not yield any fruitful results. Hence, he made a conscious decision to steer the conversation back to the main topic at hand.
"Could you please clarify how you intend to aid us in accomplishing our goal?"
"A great question, indeed.
My contribution will comprise both financial support and infrastructural support. Although the former might seem somewhat helpful, the latter is actually more significant," Aron explained.
He felt compelled to elaborate further as he noticed a surprised expression on Alexander's face upon hearing that Aron would be providing them with infrastructural support.
"Could you please elaborate on that?" Alexander inquired, eager to understand why Aron considered the infrastructural support aspect of his assistance more valuable than the monetary one.
"It would be more beneficial if you were to read and comprehend it yourself, rather than me explaining it to you," Aron responded as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
He began to fiddle with it, pretending to search for something to show Alexander. In reality, he was waiting for Nova to send Alexander the document containing the summary with the details on how his infrastructural support will be helpful to them.
Tingiding!!!
Alexander's phone beeped, prompting a reaction from him. Aron noticed this and said, "Feel free to take a look. It's from me."
Upon hearing Aron claim that he had sent him something, Alexander hastily retrieved his phone from his jacket to see what Aron had sent him.
When Alexander unlocked his phone, he discovered that Aron had indeed sent him a file. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the file was quite lengthy.
"You can go ahead and read it now. We have enough time" Aron said.
Alexander didn't require any further prompting as he had already begun reading the document as soon as he opened it.
As Alexander began to peruse the document, the only words that escaped his mouth were, "Holy shit."
The phrase "Holy shit" continued to emanate from Alexander's lips as he delved deeper into the document.
After half an hour of intense reading, Alexander finally finished perusing the file. Excitement was evident in his voice as he eagerly inquired, "Is this plan for real?" His tone resembled that of a child who was eagerly awaiting confirmation from his father regarding the purchase of a new game console.
"Yes, the plan is real and will be implemented, provided that you still agree to our conditions by the end of this meeting," Aron confirmed.
With that being said, the conversation continued with a positive and uplifting vibe, as Alexander began to believe that this was not a trap.
The summary of the plan had given him newfound hope and optimism, which was reflected in his demeanor as they continued their discussion.
...….
[He left, Sir.] Nova's voice came from the phone the moment she saw Alexander get into the elevator and it started to descend.
"What is your evaluation of him?" He asked as he deactivated the shield rune that had been active and surrounding him throughout the meeting.
Yes, Aron didn't completely trust Alexander. After all, he had just met him for the first time and he knew that he had a loaded gun with him. Knowing the pain of being shot first-hand, he didn't want to take any risks.
[I was able to discern from the conversation that he truly desires the revolution to occur in order to liberate his fellow citizens from their dreadful living conditions]
"You seem to have taken a liking to him" he remarked with a smile on his face, observing the way she had spoken about Alexander.
[Since we're going ahead with the plan regardless, it's better to work with those who truly care about their country. It'll be killing two birds with one stone.] Nova explains why he seemed to have taken a liking to Alexander.
'And It will also lessen the guilt that you will feel once you see the bloodshed and pain resulting from your action or the action of those you helped' Nova added but she didn't voice it loudly for Aron to hear, it all remained within her Quantum RAM (QRAM).
She knew Aron how would feel because she had access to his brain data which she had downloaded from the virtual headgear with his permission.
From her understanding of Aron's personality, gained through analyzing his brain, she knew that he would feel guilty when he sees the bloodshed that resulted from his support.
Alexander's genuine concern for his country and its people could be the key to helping Aron overcome his guilt after seeing the positive changes that resulted from his help, which was a welcoming thing for Nova who cared about her master more than anything.
...….
Alexander returned to his room late at night, exhausted from the long conversation he had with Aron.
Despite his fatigue, his face shone brightly, indicating that the conversation had gone well.
He collapsed onto his bed, feeling like a log, and struggled to keep himself awake. His eyes grew heavier and heavier until he could no longer resist and fell asleep in his suit.
Chapter 73: Runic Contract
"What do you think attracted most of his attention from the plan you sent him?" Aron asked Nova for her thoughts, as he waited for the printer he had asked the hotel staff to send him.
Yes, a printer.
And yes to that question too, If you happen to be lodged in a presidential suite, you have the luxury of requesting almost anything you desire, and the hotel staff will do their best to accommodate your requests, provided they are feasible. Something like asking for a printer.
Despite the successful conclusion of the meeting, there is still a need for them to reconvene tomorrow, albeit briefly, to finalize the signing of the contract.
[I think it was the infrastructural support that attracted the most of his attention.
By simply reading the summary, he was able to deduce that the minimum cost required to achieve it would be approximately $500 million.
In addition, if we successfully establish the intended structure, executing the rest of the plan would be a breeze, as effortless as reciting the alphabet backwards while juggling flaming knives and solving a Rubik's cube blindfolded.]
Upon hearing her analogy, Aron couldn't help but chuckle and remark, "Your perception of what's easy is becoming distorted ever since you migrated to the quantum computers."
[It is really quite easy, sir] Nova was adamant about it.
"No, it's not easy," Aron playfully countered, clearly enjoying the banter. As it was very helpful in wasting time.
Dingtirirng!!!
However, that notion was promptly thrown out of the window when he received a video, sent to him by Nova.
When he opened it, he found a three-minute video with a thumbnail featuring Nova blindfolded. He was dumbfounded to say the least.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA" When he opened the video and watched, he bursted into laughter at the sight of her standing blindfolded and juggling flaming knives, all while solving a Rubik's Cube and reciting the alphabet backwards.
He couldn't help but think that she had gone through a lot of trouble just to prove her point in their argument, from using a significant amount of her computing power to simulate the scene, to rendering it into a video, and editing it before sending it to him.
"Okay, you win," he finally managed to say after struggling to announce it multiple times, erupting in fits of laughter each time he tried, as the video kept replaying in his mind.
[YAY] Nova celebrated her win by making the phone play a firework video with her at the center of it receiving a trophy, before jumping up and down in jubilation.
When Aron saw this new video he started laughing again, this time getting to a point where he started crawling as he was having a difficult time breathing due to not being able to control his laughter.
After about five minutes of incessant laughter, he eventually managed to compose himself and regain control.
[Sir, are you alright?] Nova asked with concern, having seen Aron crawling on the floor just to catch his breath. If it had persisted any longer, she would have had to call for emergency services.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for the laughter, I haven't laughed like that in a long time," Aron said, holding his stomach which was aching from the intense laughter.
If he didn't already have a six-pack as a result of his daily exercise, he would have gained one as the result of this laughter.
"The printer is here, Sir," Nova immediately informed Aron that the printer he had requested had arrived, as she could monitor everything happening inside the resort and could see them bringing it through the elevator.
Ting!!!!
The sound of the elevator arriving was followed by the opening of its doors.
"May we come in?" the hotel manager asked, even though the door was already open.
"Yes, come in" Aron said as he gestured with his hand for them to enter.
After receiving permission to enter, the hotel staff brought in a cart with the printer and laptop. They placed them on the table and connected them to power and each other. Once everything was set up, they bid Aron farewell and left the suite, trying to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible.
"Nova," Aron called out for her.
[I have already accessed the computer and wrote down the contract.]As soon as Aron had called her, she intuitively understood the purpose of the call and preemptively divulged the information without the need for any direct inquiry.
"Thank you," Aron expressed his gratitude as he made his way towards the table where the computer and printer were situated, with the intention of thoroughly scrutinizing the contract.
Once he was seated, Aron commenced reading the contract. Whenever he encountered a clause that he deemed necessary to include, he promptly relayed the details to Nova, who expeditiously incorporated it into the document. Similarly, if there was a segment that required elimination or modification, Aron promptly notified Nova and the necessary changes were made without delay.
After a continuous hour of meticulously examining and amending the contract - adding new provisions and deleting some, Aron eventually concluded the reading process.
"Print it," Aron promptly instructed the moment he completed reviewing the finalized version of the contract.
"Ziiing...." The printer immediately sprang to life and churned out the printed papers with such rapidity as if there was no tomorrow, the moment Aron issued the command.
After patiently waiting for approximately three minutes, the contract was eventually printed. The reason for the relatively long duration was that they had to print two copies, one for Aron and the other for Alexander to keep, after signing the document.
After retrieving the printed documents and inserting them into two separate binders, Aron placed the two contracts on the floor before he assumed a cross-legged seated position in between them.
He proceeded to shut his eyes and placed his right hand on one contract and his left hand on the other.
After a few moments of intense concentration, both of his hands started emanating a golden radiance, followed by the appearance of the runic word "Sáttmáli" slowly etching itself onto both contracts. As Aron continued to pour his magical energy into the words, the contracts began to emit a bright golden glow.
The word "Sáttmáli" means "agreement" or "treaty"
After continuously infusing magical energy for approximately five minutes, the contracts reached a critical point of energy saturation, causing them to attract nearby magical energies to themselves.
This resulted in the contracts being perpetually filled with magical energy. However, the amount they attracted was too minuscule to produce any significant results to allow for its use in other runes, leaving it to only be utilized for contract runes, and nothing else.
Despite this limitation, the fact that the rune could continuously recharge itself meant that Aron would no longer have to spend his magical energy to sustain it. However, this was subject to the condition that the magical energy within the contract rune never decreased below a certain level.
The runes inscribed on the contract had the function of identifying Party A and Party B, as well as selecting an individual to oversee and enforce punishment in case either party breached the terms of the contract.
By being a party to the contract, each individual would immediately be notified in the event that the other party breached any of the contract's clauses.
For this particular contract, Aron had designated himself as both Party A and the enforcer/overseer. This would give him the ability to detect the moment Alexander breached the terms of the contract and allow him to administer the appropriate punishment at the cost of his magical energy.
The magic binding the soul in this contract renders distance irrelevant the moment it is signed. This means that Aron can enforce punishment on Alexander no matter where he may attempt to flee or hide.
However, this is all dependent on the condition that Alexander knowingly and willingly breaks the contract. Otherwise, the contract and its associated magic are rendered useless.
Aron had practiced tirelessly during the remaining four days he had in the accelerated Universal simulation after abruptly planning his surprise meeting, in order to avoid any mishaps with his plan.
"Runes are really convenient," Aron couldn't help but remark as he lifted his hands and saw the contracts still glowing golden, despite him having stopped fueling them with his runic energy.
[Indeed, Using runes reduces the chance of betrayal to nearly zero.] Nova mentioned that the chance of betrayal is nearly zero because runic contracts have different levels.
And Since Aron is still a beginner runic user, he can only make beginner-level contracts. Someone who has a higher level of proficiency in runic magic could potentially break the contract without fearing any retaliation. Therefore, there is still a chance of betrayal, albeit significantly reduced.
But in a world where he is the only human who can use runes, it didn't matter what level of runes he wrote. All of them would be impossible to break because the other party wouldn't even know or realize that they were under a runic contract.
Normally in a world where everyone can use magic, runic contracts can be distinguished quite easily as they always glow in different colors depending on their level. However on the current earth, the only ones who can see these colors are Aron and Henry, who for some unknown reason had accidentally mutated.
Allowing Aron to always be in the position of power the moment he signed a runic contract with someone. Since he also identifies himself as the enforcer, which implies that he is immune to any repercussions for violating the contract while he reserves the right to dish out punishment to the other party for breaching their end of the agreement. Pretty cruel move if you ask me.
But as a wise man once said, " if you can exploit something to your advantage. Just do it"( Sun Tzu, sponsored by Nike.)
Chapter 74: Signing The Contract & Going Back Home.
"With this our agreement has been officially formalized," Aron stated as he signed his name on the second contract.
Aron seemed happy, the same could be said for Alexander, but he was having another thought in his mind as he had experienced an odd sensation, as if something had briefly embraced him when he finished signing the contract.
The sensation that Alexander felt was not unfounded. To those with the ability to perceive magic, a luminous golden aura would have been visible, enfolding and permeating Alexander the instant he concluded his final signature.
The radiant glow was a result of the runic contract, which had been established to keep a watchful eye on Alexander and alert the other party should he ever violate any of its terms.
Aron had also experienced the same illumination, but being the enforcer, he had the ability to annul the contract on his end, leaving only the one on Alexander still in effect.
"I am curious, Aron," Alexander asked as he shook his hand, "why enter into a contract that is not legally binding?"
"Well, for sentimental reasons," Aron replied, "having a contract to strive to uphold will bring us both peace of mind and enable us to establish mutual trust." He spoke without a hint of hesitation or deception, his expression unchanged which came as a surprise to Nova who was observing the entire ordeal.
Alexander appeared to concur with Aron's perspective, but in reality, he knew that if Aron failed to keep his end of the bargain, He held the power to tarnish his reputation and even expose him to the International Court for conspiring to overthrow a government by publicly disclosing the document. This thought provided him with a great deal of comfort.
"Excuse me now," Alexander announced, "I have a meeting starting soon. Even if it turns out to be pointless, I must at least feign interest until our plan is set in motion." With that, he indicated that he needed to depart.
"Certainly, not a problem. I'll reach out to you as soon as we're prepared to initiate the plan. If there is anything urgent or important, don't hesitate to contact me using my number," Aron assured him as he escorted Alexander to the elevator. They shook hands for the final time before parting ways.
Aron waited until Alexander's elevator had departed before he turned around and headed back to the bedroom to ensure he hadn't left anything behind.
Once he confirmed he had not forgotten anything, Aron summoned the elevator again and made his way out of the presidential suite. He headed towards the resort lobby to complete his check-out process at the hotel.
After finishing his check-out, Aron made his way to the airport where his private plane rental was waiting to take him back to his home state.
....
Airport.
Aron's journey was uninterrupted, and he arrived at the airport without any issues. After passing through airport security and completing necessary procedures, he was escorted to the location where the private jet was waiting for him.
Once inside the plane and after takeoff, Aron retrieved his phone and said "Call Sarah" Without bothering to check if his command was acknowledged, he put the phone to his ear and waited for a response.
Trrrrr!!!!!
As soon as Aron placed the phone to his ear, he heard the sound of the call being initiated. He patiently waited for Sarah to answer the call.
"Hello," Sarah greeted as he picked up the phone.
"It's been a while," Aron replied upon hearing Sarah's voice.
"Yeah, When will you be visiting? " Sarah pointed out.
"I'll be paying you guys a visit sometime this week," Aron promised, realizing that he had been ignoring his company.
"Ha, you better watch out. I might just sell the company if you continue to ignore it," Sarah joked.
"I trust you enough to let you handle things without my interference. Besides, many CEOs complain about being micromanaged by their board members," Aron defended his actions.
"There exists a fine line between granting autonomy and completely disregarding the existence of the company. Your conduct is fascinating enough to be the subject of an academic thesis, considering the way you neglect the fact that you are the owner of a multi-billion dollar organization." Sarah stated.
"I understand your point, but it's not a matter of me forgetting about the company. It's just that there seems to be nothing for me to contribute, even if I make an effort to assist," Aron clarified his perspective.
"You're right about that. We don't even have a product development team. You are the only one responsible for creating products," Sarah acknowledged what Aron said.
"HAHA" Aron couldn't help but laugh as he realized that his company was existing to simply manage his affairs while he focused on developing something else without the added burden of overseeing them.
Sarah joined in Aron's laughter at the absurdity of her earlier statement, especially now that it seemed to be true. "And speaking of your availability, I should tell you that we're expecting to reach 3 billion GAIA OS users by the end of the month. So, congratulations!" She congratulated Aron.
"Thanks, and congratulations to you guys too," Aron congratulated Sarah in return. He then turned his attention to the system interface to check the accumulated amount of sp.
Aron suggested, "How about giving a bonus to the workers for their hard work?"
"I already had plans to do that and inform you about it for your approval, Since you have approved it you don't need to worry about it," Sarah assured Aron.
"Sure"
"Alright, so why did you call me?" Sarah asked, cutting straight to the point after their small talk.
"I'm calling to find out when you're available this week. I need the company's law firm to assist me with something," Aron replied, without beating around the bush.
"Since we're not launching any new projects at the moment, I don't have much to do besides approving a few documents. Is your request related to a new product?" Sarah inquired, curious if Aron was finally prepared to release a new product.
"No, it's something else. Although I will be releasing a new product, it will have to wait for a little while as I'm currently focusing on something else," Aron clarified.
"Sure, no problem. What will the new product be about?" Sarah asked, curious about Aron's latest idea. She knows that Aron has a history of coming up with innovative and groundbreaking products, and she is excited to hear what he has in store this time.
"This time it won't be anything major, just a game," Aron said, not wanting to keep Sarah in suspense.
The reason for Aron's decision to release a game was to earn more sp and buy a few new knowledges from the system to help him in his plans.
While Aron knew how to game the system, he was also aware that overusing this method would diminish its impact and ultimately reduce the amount of sp he could earn.
"I'll make sure to inform you ahead of time so you can properly prepare well for its release," Aron added.
"Sure"
"Alright, I'll come over to see you sometime this week to have a discussion." Aron said, indicating that the call was coming to an end.
"I will be waiting for you then." Sarah replied back.
"See you"
"See you"
With that, Aron concluded his phone conversation with Sarah.
Following the phone call, Aron opted to sleep for the remainder of the flight since he had no tasks to attend to.
.....
7 hours later.
Aron could be seen sitting in his basement after he arrived from the airport.
Upon arriving from the airport, Aron did not immediately head to his basement as his younger brother, Henry, wanted to play games with him for a few hours. Eventually, Aron made his way to the basement where he was seen sitting.
After putting on his virtual reality headgear, he said 'login'.
Upon entering the virtual reality, Nova greeted him and said, 'Welcome back, Sir', while dressed in a stunning outfit
"Thanks, you look great," Aron complimented after taking notice of Nova's attire.
[Thank you. What are your plans for the rest of the day before your visit to the company tomorrow?] Nova inquired.
"An inspiring idea came to me during the flight. I need to start practicing a few specific runes in order to bring the idea to life," Aron shared.
[What is the Inspiration?] Nova inquired, showing her curiosity.
Although Nova had the ability to extract information from Aron's brain data, she refrained from doing so without his consent. Additionally, Aron's system would block any unauthorized access, so even if Nova attempted to extract information, she would be denied access without Aron's explicit permission each time.
"It's a surprise," Aron teased, before adding, "I'll also need you to rent a private plane for a two-month period. I'll be using it to travel extensively around the country and the world to accomplish my plan."
[Sure] despite being curious she didn't ask for further details about his plan.
Nova knew that she could make an educated guess about Aron's plan based on the type of runes he was practicing.
Following that, Aron immediately started practicing his runes for the five days(In universal simulation accelerated time) he had, before he visited the company.
Aron didn't need to worry about getting enough sleep because Nova was always in control of the virtual reality headgear. She could adjust the settings to ensure that Aron's brain entered into deep sleep or REM (Rapid Eye Movement) when necessary, allowing him to rest even while he spent time within the virtual reality world.
Chapter 75: Visiting Sarah.
The next day, Aron logged out of the virtual reality feeling refreshed. He completed his daily quest before cleaning himself up and preparing for his meeting with Sarah. After double-checking that he was fully prepared, he grabbed his phone and watch and headed where his car, driver and bodyguard was, ready to take him to the company.
"Good morning," Aron greeted Donald.
"Morning," Donald greeted back as he opened the car door for Aron to get in, and then closed it behind him.
He then took a seat in the front of the car before the driver started the engine and they began their journey to GAIA technology.
.....
Rina Rothchild's Manor.
Rina could be seen sitting inside her office.
It has been three days since she met and had a talk with Aron who had given him Ava.
Ava was still decrypting the encrypted backed up data and still had 4 more days before she completed this process.
Despite Ava's ongoing work with decrypting the data, Rina still had plenty to do. Ava was actively intercepting and analyzing all activity on the private network, and whenever she came across something important or useful, she would immediately inform Rina. This allowed Rina to stay up-to-date with the latest information and adjust her clean-up process accordingly.
Her plan continued getting solid and solid the more information and consultation she had from Ava, which resulted in her being very grateful to Aron who decided to help her in her darkest times.
Although she knew that Aron had his own agenda for helping her, he didn't even try to hide it, despite that, she was still thankful to him for the help he provided to her.
...…
GAIA TECHNOLOGY HQ.
Aron arrived at the headquarter after a short period, where he was welcomed by Sarah who was waiting for him after he had informed him that he was on his way.
"You came quite early" Sarah said as she hugged Aron welcoming him.
"I said that I will visit, isn't it better for me to come earlier than late." Aron replied as he hugged her back.
"Of course, let's discuss this further in my office," Sarah agreed as she led Aron towards the elevator. They attracted the attention of some employees as they passed by. Aron followed silently, as he really wanted to have some privacy when he talked with her.
Once they arrived in her office, Sarah offered Aron some tea, which he accepted without hesitation.
"So, you mentioned that you need the law firm to do something for you," Sarah began the conversation after she had signaled for the secretary to bring them tea.
"Yes, I have a personal matter that I need their help with. Can you assemble a team from the firm to assist me?" Aron requested.
"What are they going to be doing? I ask because I want to ensure that we assemble a team with the right expertise and knowledge for the task at hand," Sarah clarified. She wanted to avoid any misunderstandings and make sure she fully understood the scope of the project before proceeding.
"I understand your concern, but there's no need to worry. I simply need them to assist with the purchase of a few companies in Eden," Aron explained.
"Eden? Isn't the government advising against any business dealings in that country due to the sanctions imposed on its dictator? You may be putting yourself at risk by pursuing this," Sarah cautioned, curious as to Aron's reasoning for choosing to buy companies in a country ruled by a dictator.
"I'm aware of the risks, but I believe that money can solve any problem. All we have to do is make the purchases, and I will handle any other issues that may arise," Aron replied confidently, displaying no signs of concern or fear regarding his decision.
"It's your money, so ultimately the decision is up to you on how you choose to spend it. I will form a team and have them contact you for further details soon," Sarah agreed, acknowledging Aron's decision while also ensuring that she would assemble a team to help with the project.
"Thank you," Aron expressed his gratitude for Sarah's agreement without any further questions.
Sarah chose not to ask any more questions, confident that Aron would provide any necessary explanations when he was ready.
Although he had received the answer he came for, Aron didn't immediately leave. Since he was already there, he decided to spend some time and be briefed on other details and the current happenings within the company.
....
Evening that day.
After spending most of the day at the company and being officially introduced to the employees as the real owner, Aron returned home. The employees were surprised to learn of his ownership and his presence at the company.
Despite the initial surprise of discovering Aron as the true owner of the company, the employees quickly shifted their focus to the exciting news of receiving a bonus at the end of the month. This announcement instantly made Aron a beloved figure within the company, solidifying his status as the most popular multi billionaire company owner in the world.
After having dinner with his family and spending some time playing games with Henry, Aron returned to his basement to spend the rest of the night in virtual reality.
'Login'
[Sir, You are trending online] Nova promptly notified him of his sudden popularity on Twitter and various social media platforms.
"Why? What did I do to deserve this attention?" Aron inquired, feeling quite astonished that he had become a topic of discussion on the internet.
[Well, one of your employees took a picture of you and posted it online with the caption 'We finally met our boss,' which caused people to discuss you as a peculiar boss who only just met your employees for the first time since the company's inception.
Others were surprised to learn that you are the sole owner of a multi-billion dollar company that has many investors clamoring for you to take the company public, with the promise of making you incredibly wealthy. Despite this, you have chosen to keep the company private, which has angered some who see a bright future for the company.
The reason for your current trend on social media is due to the news about the bonuses being offered to your employees. This news has made many people jealous, as they either aspire to work for your company or resent you for trying to win over your employees by offering bonuses during the month you introduced yourself. Some are even calling you a "people pleaser."
Your trend on social media has resulted in some individuals releasing your personal information, including the fact that you were expelled for plagiarizing a thesis. This has given ammunition for your haters to use against you and may have affected your newfound popularity with some fans.]
After hearing the summary, Aron couldn't help but chuckle at Nova, who was eagerly relaying the information to him.
Nova seemed unperturbed by his reaction and continued with her explanation, [What's even more amusing is that some of your haters are using a virtual assistant that you created to write their hateful comments about you, all while using a Gaia OS to do so.]
Nova couldn't help but chuckle at the sheer foolishness of their actions, which made Aron happy that Nova was even more enthusiastic about the topics surrounding him than he was himself.
[Your account is experiencing a significant surge in followers and has even been officially verified,] Nova reported.
"My account? But I distinctly remember abandoning it. Why would they even bother verifying it?" Aron asked, sounding quite puzzled.
[Since I have access to your memories, so I also have your passwords. That's how I was able to take control of the account,] Nova explained herself.
"Ah, I see," Aron replied, sounding impressed. "But why did you do it?" he asked, still curious about the reason behind Nova's actions.
[I did it as a way for you to have a direct line to the public and to prevent misinformation in case someone tries to impersonate you and mislead others,] Nova explained her reasoning for taking over his accounts.
"Ah, I see. Thanks," Aron said, appreciating Nova's foresight. He had been so focused on other matters that he hadn't even considered these potential issues.
Aron was reminded of the benefits of having a powerful AI assistant like Nova. With her vast knowledge and ability to process information objectively, she could provide him with a comprehensive overview of any topic, immunizing her from any biases or prejudices.
Nova said [Your welcome]feeling quite happy.
Despite performing her duties by her own volition, Nova always felt a sense of joy and fulfillment whenever Aron expressed his gratitude towards her.
"Anyway, Since you are already doing it, continue keeping an eye on them and let me know if anything interesting happens," Aron instructed Nova before he resumed his runic practice.
He knew that he needed to master a few more runes before he could execute his plan and make use of his private jet which Nova had already rented for him.