Was This How the Script Was Supposed to Go?

Inside the forty-sixth-floor conference room of the Alt Branch Building.

Eiffel studied the woman named Yucas before her.

Objects with great mass attracted light, so naturally, Miss Eiffel's gaze was drawn to something as well.

She glanced at the other woman's rather substantial chest, an odd feeling stirring within her.

The girl withdrew her gaze, and a sudden flash of insight crossed her mind. As though she had figured something out, she looked at Jonas with a hint of displeasure.

At first, she had wondered why Jonas had reacted so strongly upon hearing the other woman's name.

Now, everything seemed to fit together perfectly.

She secretly compared their sizes, then found herself feeling a little defeated.

For once, the usually rational Miss Eiffel had let jealousy drive her to do something foolish and pointless.

Mr. Jonas, however, noticed none of this. He looked at the woman before him and said with a smile:

"If I'm not mistaken, Miss Yucas, you're not here solely because of the riots in the Alt District, are you?"

At those words, Yucas fell silent for a moment before replying:

"You're very perceptive. Indeed, the riots in the Alt District aren't my only reason for coming here today."

Hearing her reply, Jonas wore an expression that said he had expected as much, then continued:

"Let me think... is it about the No-Man's Zone? Or about what the Wetting Conglomerate has been doing in the Moslika District?"

Jonas tapped the table as though deep in thought. When he mentioned the Moslika District, Yucas's gaze shifted slightly, and she pressed her lips together almost imperceptibly.

"So it's about the Moslika District."

Jonas keenly caught the girl's unusual reaction. He said nothing more, but he had already all but figured out her purpose.

The Moslika District was one of District 25's core areas, producing most of the Peacekeeping Forces' equipment and machinery.

In recent years, however, the Wetting Conglomerate's involvement had gradually pushed production in the Moslika District toward privatization. As a result, the Peacekeeping Forces' equipment and machinery could no longer be updated promptly. At present, their equipment was at least two generations behind.

The Wetting Conglomerate had also held negotiations with the Peacekeeping Forces, but those had ended without a resolution, leaving both sides locked in a stalemate over the issue.

Of course, this idiotic scheme of killing the goose that laid the golden eggs had been dreamed up by the people on the board. It had absolutely nothing to do with Jonas as he was now.

That was precisely why the Peacekeeping Forces wanted to use Jonas's impending appointment to the board to resolve the matter.

Fundamentally, their interests did not conflict.

Yucas took a deep breath and got straight to the point:

"Since you've already guessed, Mr. Jonas, I won't beat around the bush... I'm here to ask for your help."

"Help? What sort of help?"

Contrary to Yucas's expectations, Jonas gave a derisive chuckle. Looking at her, he asked:

"Help you go up against my own company?"

Yucas could not help frowning at that and said:

"The Wetting Conglomerate brought this trouble upon itself. If the situation escalates, neither side will come out ahead..."

"You're right, but what does that have to do with me?"

Jonas smiled, a trace of mockery in his expression:

"Whether the Peacekeeping Forces choose to compromise or those people on the board choke on their own ambition, neither outcome hurts me."

As he spoke, he tilted his head and looked at the girl before him:

"So, Miss Yucas, what do you intend to offer to persuade me?"

Hearing this, Yucas began to find the situation rather thorny.

Only after a long pause did she speak:

"The Peacekeeping Forces won't compromise. The only possible outcome is that the Wetting Conglomerate faces sanctions over this matter. You'll be joining the board sooner or later, Mr. Jonas. Surely you don't want to clean up someone else's mess the moment you take office."

"I won't deny that."

Jonas paused, then continued:

"So, what can you offer me?"

Seeing that she had finally gotten through to Jonas, Yucas inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and said:

"Until you join the Wetting Conglomerate's board, the Peacekeeping Forces will provide you with as much assistance as possible."

"I don't need your help."

Given the current situation, Jonas could still join the board even without the Peacekeeping Forces' assistance. It was merely a question of how long it would take.

In other words, Jonas held all the cards.

And the terms the Peacekeeping Forces had offered fell far short of his expectations.

Hearing this, Yucas frowned again:

"Then what do you want?"

"Seventy percent of the profits from the Moslika District's trade."

Yucas had never imagined he could make such an outrageous demand as though it were perfectly reasonable. She instinctively refused:

"That's impossible."

Yet after saying that, she began to hesitate.

He held all the cards. In other words, even if he dictated the terms unilaterally, the Peacekeeping Forces could only grit their teeth and accept them.

But seventy percent of the profits was simply too much. For the moment, she could not make up her mind.

Just then, Jonas changed tack and said:

"Of course, I'm not entirely opposed to other terms."

Seeing this sudden turn of events, Yucas's eyes lit up, and she asked:

"What terms?"

Jonas took out a contract and slid it in front of Yucas:

"Sign it."

After saying that, he paused, then added:

"Then be my maid for three months."

"?"

A question mark popped up over Miss Yucas's head.

Then, as though she had finally processed his words, the girl's face flushed bright red, the mortification and anger in her eyes plain to see.

Eiffel, standing to the side, was equally stunned by his words.

Was this how the script was supposed to go?

When did you even get the contract written up?!