201. Someone Will Step Forward

Rule referred to a mechanism of control and domination over territory and individual behavior through political power or authority.

Its core meaning generally concerned dynastic rule and territorial administration. Arasaka, in essence, was a "feudal dynasty"-style corporation inherited through the Arasaka name, so there could not have been a more fitting word than rule to describe its Chief Executive Officer.

What Arakawa Sesen said to Carl was simple enough.

Were you interested in becoming Arasaka's Chief Executive Officer, in becoming the ruler of the Arasaka "dynasty," in becoming king?

It sounded like an offhand remark, but it concealed Arakawa Sesen's most sincere thoughts.

"Are you interested in ruling Arasaka?"

Carl's first reaction to something that might have shocked and driven anyone in the world mad was speechlessness.

"You want me to do all the hard work, don't you?"

When Carl had done the work Mictoshi used to handle as little more than a section chief yesterday, he had already found it exhausting. Taking on all of Arasaka's work might as well have killed him outright.

Although Sesen had expected Carl to say that, a trace of regret still appeared on his face. "No interest at all?"

"It'd be a lie to say I have no interest whatsoever. Arasaka is right there, after all. I'm not the sort of person who truly sees all wealth and power as dust, and there are indeed things I want to change. But—"

Carl looked at Arakawa Sesen. "With you around, I don't feel like I need to rush into it. You've prepared for so long. You must be planning something big, and you've surely long since prepared how to change the whole world. With you here, I feel like I can be lazier."

"When no one else is doing it, you can only do