Time wound back a little, to before the explosion. In an office in the Alt Conglomerate's high-rise in District 25, Jonas held a cup of coffee. Sitting before him was not the familiar Iris, but Eiffel, who was tidying up.
She put away the documents in front of her, then casually took a plate of little cakes from beside her, broke off a piece with a small fork, and slowly savored it.
This was a rare moment of rest. After several busy days, a relatively quieter period had finally arrived. Seeing the chaos over in the Federation while everything in District 25 remained orderly, Eiffel felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
If she went to the Federation, where those in charge refused to delegate authority yet expected her to handle everything as perfectly as she did in District 25, she would probably flee back within days. She genuinely had no idea how people working under the Federation managed to endure it.
"Eiffel, what are you thinking about?"
Jonas leaned back in his executive chair, watching with interest as Eiffel used her little fork to break off bits of cake. She put a piece in her mouth, slowly savored it, and swallowed before answering his question.
"I was thinking that people like you, Mr. Jonas, who are willing to delegate authority, really are quite rare. The heads of the various conglomerates and families I've met would stop at nothing to keep that power in their hands. Never mind their subordinates-they would even turn on friends, lovers, and family."
Eiffel glanced at Jonas and said unhurriedly, "Even Miss Lin Gong over in the Federation originally intended to reject you outright, but in the end, she stayed silent. She must be weighing your proposal, right?"
She had seen plenty of people like that.