Chapter 10: Different Paths

A new Phoenix product?

That's the heir to the Phoenix Group, right? She looks intimidating!

Yeah, she seems to be the only heir in line to the Houou family. She just returned from studying abroad.

I wonder what products she'll put out?

Those auto shoelace tying machines they released were super cool! They let Nina snooze in bed for an extra five minutes every morning!

Hey! I'm not snoozing! I just need to give my will a moment to wake up!

Aw, enough about me! Saya secretly used the Heartbeat Tester last time too!

You're lying! I-I didn't do that!

Who could it be at this hour?

(Opens the door) Huh? Nobody is here.

Hello, this is Muscipula! Could...

Ahhh!

Hey, this kid... is from Phoenix.

No, I just see this kid a lot when I pass by Phoenix's office.

G-greetings, I am Nanalie... Nanalie, f-from the Phoenix Group...

Uh, well, Muscipula, a meeting, and uh, um...

It's alright, slow down...

Alright...

A letter! I have a letter!

What's this? Let me take a look!

It's signed by... Miyuki? The Executive Director of Asia for Phoenix?

Woah! Does this make me a successful businessman?

You're just along for the ride.

Well, please tell Ms. Miyuki that Muscipula will arrive as agreed upon.

Message confirmed.

Hey, what's this?

The Consortium sure has no sense of subtlety. Are they really giving us rings as gifts?

Oh, it says here on the back of the letter to bring the rings with us.

Huh? I got it! This is a symbol of success!

Successfully snoozing in bed?

Saya!

A Phoenix conference?

Maybe we could... get some important "materials."

They have their own secrets, after all...

So this is the Phoenix group?

Why am I not surprised at all by all this bling?

H-Hello, Ms. Anna and Muscipula.

Nanalie! It's been a while! Did you come out here to greet us?

W-Welcome, Ms. Nina.

(Staring at Nanalie's badge) Chief... Security... Officer...

Huh? You're in charge of security?

T-That's right.

P-Please follow me. Miss Miyuki is already waiting for you all.

Greetings everyone. Miss Anna. Muscipula.

Hello, Miss Miyuki.

It's been a while! Anna, I'm looking forward to your handshaking event!

And this must be the legendary Leader of Muscipula! You are just like I imagined you to be!

You were all invited here for the "long term cooperation between Phoenix and Muscipula."

Well, that's how Phoebe phrases it "diplomatically."

Actually, I just wanted you all to be the brand ambassadors for our new product!

Brand ambassadors? Us? Woah!

What sort of new product are we talking about?

Those rings we send you from before?

Do these rings do something special?

That's right! These rings can sense the nearby environment.

When the surrounding area is unstable and has a chance of forming Nightmares, the ring will darken. When there are already Nightmares in the area, the ring will sound an alarm.

I spent a whole week thinking this up!

Woah! This will be super useful for Radiants to detect Nightmares!

Not only that, but normal people will also be able to wear them and be warned, although they will just think that the rings detect good or bad luck...

After all, for normal people, places with Nightmares will always be bad luck!

If this product was released soon, then normal people would be able to avoid Nightmares...

That's right! So will you be our ambassador?

Of course!

I hope that Leader and the rest of Muscipula will agree to join us as well!

We are not just targeting normal people to use the rings, but also Radiants. That's why Leader's endorsement is also very important!

Of course, the compensation for your troubles won't be negligible! We can hash out the specifics of the contract later!

Hehe! Well then, to our success!

Also, I prepared a surprise gift for Phoebe!

I hope that you all could deliver it with me!

You are the heir to the Houou family, and yet all you do is blabber about this nonsense all day!

But, big data modeling is the key to a new era of business.

The Houou family has always conducted our business carefully and rationally. Are you going to disregard the teachings of family?

...

...

What? Miyuki plans to announce a new product during the conference?

Is she treating this like a child's game? The conference is tomorrow and she's trying to add new things in now?

She suddenly threw in the Auto Shoelace Tying Machine last time, and she's trying to pull this off again?

And those old sods on the Board of Directors agreed?

That's right! They seem to admire Miss Miyuki's sense for investments!

...

...

Boss, boss!

What is it now?

We just detected a huge influx in our Dream Data Model, but it disappeared before we could triangulate the position!

We searched three times and still haven't found anything...

It might have just been a fluctuation in the data. Ignore it for now.

The thing that matters the most right now is making sure that the conference goes off smoothly.

Yes ma'am!

Is the presentation for predicting the movements of cats ready?

Yes ma'am.

I just have a minor question, boss. Why are we using cats?

Even the symbol for the software is a cat.

Have you ever thought about that... One day, a big fat cat could come barging into our company one day looking for trouble?

Oh, I get it now!

(I don't get it at all...)

Now let's nail down the procedure for the conference and ensure that it'll go off smoothly.

Tell her that she has only ten minutes for her presentation.

Yes ma'am.

... And that is all for the updates on our past products.

We will now have a 10-minute break. We will then present to everyone our newest product.

Phoebe, please watch me present the new product! I've been working on this for a while!

And I have a big surprise for you!

What are you planning?

This conference is crucial to the company's success. We better not end up making headlines on the Internet because of you!

Relax, Phoebe!

I've got something that will knock your socks off!

Hmph!