Working Remnant

A month has gone by, and Ruby is now fully caught up on the two years she skipped and only needs to review her first year at Beacon. Aside from that, she is also researching for our rematch for Gunpla Battling. Summer, Ruby, and I are probably going to stay in this universe for another month at most, then head back to Remnant for Beacon's Midterms. I was relaxing in my rooftop garden when I suddenly got a call from my secretary. I started up my Snowfall company in multiple universes where I either planned to return to or have friends or family there.

" Hello?"

I answered the call as she would only call me in case it was something important or urgent.

" President, a man from the Flana Institute, is offering up some rather interesting technology that you might be interested in."

" Oh? What kind?"

" From what I have gathered, it influences the mind to improve the performance of motor skills and thought processing."

That did sound interesting, especially in this universe where those kinds of enhancements are a big deal in Gunpla Battling. Even if they are illegal in official matches, they could still be used elsewhere. Plus, stealing it would be easy for me with Soul Archive. I told my secretary as I got up to get dressed in proper business formal attire.

" I'll meet them and see what they have to offer."

" Understood, President."

I hung up my cell and went to my room to get changed and ran into the younger Rose.

" Hey, Silva. What are you up to?"

She asked, and I answered plainly.

" Got some business to attend to at my company."

" Wait, you have a company like Weiss?"

" Where did you think all my money came from in this world?"

I stated the obvious as I entered my room to change and put on a dark gray-striped suit with a black tie. Ruby followed me into my room as I looked at where the meeting was happening on my cell. Hmm... Northern Europe, Finland specifically. I paused for a moment and thought of a certain silver-haired girl from there. I had a nagging suspicion in the back of my mind, but I focused on the task at hand. I looked toward the younger Rose and asked.

" How do I look?"

" I never imagined you in a suit, Silva."

Ruby replied absentmindedly as she stared at me in a daze, and I chuckled in amusement. The little cookie monster got out of her stupor and told me with a slight blush.

" You look... Good."

" Thanks. Want to come with me? I am heading to another country."

" Uh... Sure?"

She said uncertainly, and I opened a portal to my office in Finland. My secretary, who handles the day-to-day operations, already knew what I could do, so she knew to make appropriate preparations for my arrival—mainly faking my flights to other countries and handling any other issue with me popping up out of nowhere. My secretary, a young red-haired woman of mixed descent, Irish-Japanese, greeted me.

" Welcome, President. You can meet Mr.Barthes at your leisure."

I recognized the last name but did not make any assumptions and told her.

" I'll meet him as soon as he is able to come."

" Very well then. Would you care for a drink while you wait with your... Guest."

My secretary looked at Ruby with a questioning look, and I introduced the younger Rose.

" This is Ruby Rose, a friend from "far away."

My secretary understood my meaning and asked.

" I see, Ms.Rose. Would you care for a drink?"

" Some milk would be fine."

Ruby said as she scratched the back of her head, and I gave my order.

" My usual, please, Fiadh."

" Right away, President."

Fiadh was a friend I made in this world who had no connection to the plot of the Build Gundam Universe. She had a degree in business from Oxford, but due to some bad some decisions in her youth, no one wanted to hire her. It was pure coincidence that I met her when I first came to this world, but one talk led to another and another, and we became friends and partners. It was strictly platonic as she swung the other way, although we did talk about women when we had one too many drinks. She has a rather... specific criteria.

Fiadh came around with our drinks, and I asked.

" How have things been?"

She sighed as she took a seat.

" The usual shite, as you know."

Her accent slipped through as she relaxed.

" Ha... Those old dastards look at me and only see a pretty face."

" Like you don't enjoy pulling the rug from out under the board when they underestimate you."

" Heh, true dat. Still, your friend here is quite the treat."

My secretary said as she appraised Ruby, and the little cookie monster quietly enjoyed her milk. I refocused on the business at hand after drinking my cola.

" So tell more in detail about our mysterious man from the Flana Institute."

"One, Nine Barthes, possibly a mad scientist type, considering the tech he is offering messes with the brain."

So it is him. It looks like I might be meeting a certain silver-haired girl sooner than I thought. I shoot the breeze with Fiahd while I waited for the good doctor to show up. Ruby interjected as we talked.

" So she knows everything?"

At the little cookie monster's question, my friend replied.

" Yep, Multiverse and all that. Wild, right?"

" I guess, still, it's need to meet you. My name is Ruby."

Fiadh looked at me and said with complete seriousness.

" She is adorable, can I take her home? Just for today."

I could not help but chuckle and reply with mock coldness.

" No."

My friend clicked her tongue and looked away with mock anger as a slight smile graced her lips. Her cell vibrated, and she took it out and then informed me.

" He's here."

" Well, let's go meet our mad scientist, shall we?"

***

To say that Nine Barthes was nervous would be an understatement, considering he was meeting the owner, CEO, and president of the Snowfall company, an international technology firm that rose to the top despite only being a few years old, Silva Branwen. By his side, looking bored out of her mind, was Aila Jyrkiäinen, a young, fair-skinned, silver-haired, blue-eyed woman with a unique talent to sense the flow of Plavsky Particles. She had to be on her best behavior as she understood that this deal was extremely important to her future.

Silva walked, and not only his size but the weight of his presence demanded respect as he was actively projecting his very soul onto the two. Ruby and Fiadh also walked in with him and stood behind him as he took a seat across from the doctor. The snow leopard man then spoke calmly.

" So, Mr.Barthes, explain to me why your tech is worth investing in."

Nines Barthes gulped as he was stared down by the young man in front of him and started to explain his Embody System along with Aila's unique gift. After giving his pitch, Silva then said.

" So, if I am understanding you correctly, this tech is worthless without this young lady next to you and quite possibly dangerous."

The young doctor was stunned by Silva's bluntness, but the snow leopard man then asked the young silver-haired woman.

" Ms.Jyrkiäinen, tell me what it is you want, and if it is in my power to give you it, I will grant it."

Aila was shocked, to say the least, and she felt compelled to answer Silva truthfully to the point she could not stop herself.

" I want nice clothes, tasty food, and a warm place to call home."

" Aila!"

Nines bellowed, feeling betrayed, and the snow leopard man ordered with authority.

" Sit. Down."

The young doctor complied as he felt pressured, and Silva offered the young woman in a gentle tone.

" I can give that and more if you are willing to trust me."

" I..."

She is hesitant for obvious reasons, as this was the first time she even met the giant in front of her, but for some reason, she felt she could trust him. Ruby surprisingly spoke out for the first time during this meeting.

" You can trust Silva. He keeps his promises."

The sincerity and innocence of the silver-eyed girl convinced Aila, as she learned early on in her life how to read people to a degree. The silver-haired girl bowed at Silva and said.

" I will be in your care."

Nines Barthes grits his teeth at being betrayed. Still, it is hardly surprising it is originally a give-and-take relationship between him and the silver-haired girl, with him having the higher position. Silva was not done as he focused on the young doctor in front of him.

" As for you..."

Nines felt a threat to himself as the giant in front of him stared him down, and he had difficulty breathing. The snow leopard man then said.

" While deplorable, I won't deny your tech is clever, but it needs refinement. So my offer is this: work in my R&D Department and see about removing the dangers of using this Embody System and making it more applicable for others."

The young doctor was surprised at the offer and immediately agreed, as he wanted nothing more than to show his brilliance. Silva knew this, and it made manipulating the man far easier as anyone would seek greatness in some capacity. However, whether or not they achieve it depends on luck, effort, and, more often than not, money. The snow leopard man was curious about how far this technology could go with enough funding but was not interested in researching it himself.

Silva looked at Aila and wandered inwardly.

' Now, what to do with you?'