[VedaTech: How’s your mood right now?]
[Erichiton: I want to cross the mountain! I want to go to the sea!]
“Are you kidding me… so easy?”
About 100 people have made AI Erichiton say ‘hello’ or ‘hi.’
There was even a wizard who restored the communication function using a simple three-word sentence.
Moreover, the method was surprisingly radical.
Before accessing virtual reality, they coated the person’s body with mana paint, which itself formed a circuit.
Dr. Chandra Sekaran Veda Shankari systematically replaced all modified malignant expression circuit formulas with humans and gradually pieced together the puzzle.
Once astounded by the terrifying driving force that spent 50 million won per experiment, I was doubly astonished that the wizard was quite young.
After 12 experiments, the 26-year-old doctor knocked on the Door of Janjeol with results that would satisfy me.
“I must see this person.”
In my past life, I lamented daily why there were only fools…
Seems I’m finally being rewarded for it.
On the day of my personal interview with Dr. Veda, I briefly entered virtual reality.
“Hello, Na-me! Your suit looks fantastic today!”
“Thank you, Basmi. Is the channeling developer interview still ongoing?”
“I haven’t checked myself, but I saw the lights were on while passing the hallway earlier. It hasn’t been long.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
Thankfully, the staff were still few, making the company’s atmosphere a bit dull.
‘Good thing I’m not late.’
This interview was directly overseen by the CTO and the head of the channeling division, verifying the applicants.
I sat in the hallway chair, pondering the direction the company should head.
Like every other company, there just wasn’t enough manpower.
Besides the integration issue, reducing consumption of mana and heat output was also a task.
Dream Stone 2 would require countless mana resources to eliminate cancer cells.
It would take a long and arduous journey to include carcinogens and viruses that won’t show manifest symptoms.
“Ha… If saving lives were as easy as killing, how nice would that be.”
Creeeak-
‘Oh, that blue suit. Looks cool?’
A small-headed, petite man stepped out from the interview room.
“Phew.”
He closed the door with both hands and sighed deeply, gazing at the ceiling.
As I carefully inspected his face, his eyes were large, and his double eyelids were very pronounced.
‘Did he say he was from Chennai, India?’
Then our eyes met.
He was startled and blinked his huge eyes.
“Ah, hello. I’m an applicant here for Janjeol.”
“Yeah, you look the part. You’ve come dressed nicely in your suit.”
“Oh, really? I have no fashion sense at all; my wife picked this outfit for me, hahaha… I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner, but may I know your name? You seem to be working at Janjeol.”
“Me?”
I pointed to myself with a finger.
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
Does he really not know? Me?
Of course, he might not know, but isn’t it normal for the CEO of the company he’s applying to know?
Furrowing my brows, I roughly swept my golden bangs back.
Dr. Veda took a deep breath.
Now he couldn’t even look me in the eye properly.
“Uhm.”
I was exceptionally working in the company wearing an avatar from my past life.
Leaders possessing charisma rather than cuteness often have a higher probability of fostering collective efficacy and cooperative organizational culture.
And since this was my previous life’s body, I didn’t have to worry about VR motion sickness.
Humans are creatures that judge value based on external characteristics.
Was there any reason not to wear it for the performance of the entire organization?
As Dr. Veda made a slightly troubled face, I smiled subtly.
“I’m not actually working here… In fact, I’m an applicant too. The interview is in 30 minutes, but I arrived a bit early.”
“Oh, you’re in the same developer role…! Nice to meet you, I’m Chandra Sekaran Veda Shankari.”
“I’m Emma.”
We quickly formed an inner intimacy.
*
“The Nirab technique was referring to Nisertamavian, Ras, and Brunkeilon, huh? It really was an unexpected refreshing technique for me.”
“That’s what worries me even more. I’ve heard that other wizards solved the Hello Erichiton issue with just their own power, but what I did was more like a workaround.”
“Oh, why is that a workaround? You were told to make the impossible possible.”
“I hope the company thinks the same as you, Emma, haha.”
His process of gathering 10,000 academy students was also intriguing.
“You borrowed with your parents’ house as collateral? Such a large amount?”
“I was that confident. I believed I could create much greater value once I got into Janjeol.”
“I thought you were just a model student, but you’re a complete gambler. They say you never know a person until you see their inner self; I’ll look at you differently now.”
In India, while it just had the name academy, school-level support was practically nonexistent.
A truly self-survival society.
Instead, online classes had developed remarkably.
In Korean terms, is it a structure where tens of thousands attend classes under a top instructor?
“Still, Dr. Veda provided valuable experiences for the aspiring wizards. Showing the complete disintegration of magic circles. Above all, it’s never an easy task for the kids to earn 300 rupees a day on their own. They probably won’t forget this day for a lifetime.”
“Oh…”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think you’re the first one to say that, Emma. My colleagues in the US only say the children are pathetic.”
“Well, what did you think, Dr. Veda? Were the kids suffering or having fun?”
Dr. Veda recalled something thoughtfully and smiled.
“At that moment, it felt like they all genuinely enjoyed it. Some kids even cried when the puppy spoke.”
“Huh, really?”
“Yes. The students take magic quite seriously, more than you might think.”
Not that I intended to make magic that would move them that much…
[Erichiton: The stars are in the sky! I’m going to see the stars! Let’s climb the mountain! Everyone follow me!]
[Waaaaaah! We did it!]
The crisp cheers of the students echoed.
My heart swelled as I watched the video Dr. Veda showed.
“By the way, how did NoName CEO come up with such an absurd formula? I’ve never seen a structure with no answers like this in my life. ASI is causing such performance degradation.”
“How did you see it?”
“It feels like all the knotted threads in this world have been combined. Fix this part, and that part becomes a problem. Fix that part, and this formula becomes a problem. It’s like watching a cancerous mass that endlessly metastasizes, even after treatment.”
“The cancerous mass… You’re not comparing our clan leader to a cancerous mass, are you?”
“No? Ah, no…! No, no, no, it’s not like that!”
Dr. Veda desperately waved his hands.
“Or perhaps the clan leader’s personality is like a tangled knot?”
“E-Emma, are you sent here to take me down?”
“Hahaha, I’m just joking. There’s that perspective too. Maybe that’s even more accurate.”
“Phew… My left atrium and right ventricle hurt. By the way, you look quite young, Emma-”
Creeeak-
While having a fun conversation with Dr. Veda, the interview room door slowly opened.
“Na-me? Did you come for something? I was about to contact you to hand over the interview evaluation form.”
“Thank you for your continuous efforts. Could you hand it here?”
“Yes, here it is.”
I flipped through the applicant’s chart.
Dr. Veda must be thinking what on earth this is.
He kept looking around, bewildered.
“Why is Emma… not an applicant…”
“Are you referring to the one and only cute CEO of Janjeol, Na-me?”
“I’m not cute at all. I’m wearing this purposely, so what’s cute about it? Should I wear horn-rimmed glasses?”
I tilted my head 15 degrees and glared upward.
I despised talking like this, resembling an old geezer, but—
Back in the day, there were countless people who couldn’t meet my gaze out of fear.
“You’re still cute.”
Dr. Veda’s short and blunt remark felt rather disappointing.
I then asked Dr. Veda a question.
“What do you think I look like? It’s not a serious question, so feel free to answer.”
Meaning it’s a serious question not to be answered lightly.
In my past life, I rarely heard such compliments, aside from one person.
“You look like someone who would love cute kids.”
“Hmph, you sure know how to wiggle out awkwardly. Sounds good, you’re hired. Start tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
I reached out and shook the applicant’s hand.
“From now on, you and your division will be responsible for the lives of many people on this planet. I won’t demand detailed results, but I hope you’ll work with a great sense of responsibility. The sooner Dream Stone 2 is developed, the more lives you can save because of you.”
I repeated what I said to all employees.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
In that moment, I felt an illusion of Dr. Veda’s eyes flashing with intensity.
Even in a standard office based on virtual reality where he couldn’t use an aura.
