“Are you only monitoring me or do you possess an information network all over Norland? Or... are you part of an organization?”
Joshua’s questions once again caught the dark elf off guard.
She was prepared to be interrogated by Joshua with questions like ‘Who’s your master?’ But, she was surprised to hear those questions instead.
“Naturally, it’s an organization. Have you heard of the Squirrel Street’s Black Dove? To a certain group of people in Norland, that’s a decent destination.”
The dark elf answered Joshua’s question honestly.
She didn’t wish to go against Joshua. Thus, she revealed information to Joshua while keeping some secrets. She was not planning to act like those devoted spies that were willing to die by swallowing poison rather than to leak information upon being captured.
Besides, even if she wanted to kill herself, she wouldn’t be able to.
The black bird symbol on her neck did not show any reaction to her words. It did not heat up nor did it turn cold. This made her heave a sigh of relief. It would appear that the information she revealed to Joshua was within the amount of information her master was willing to allow her to reveal.
“Black Dove...”
The filming site for ‘Léon: The Demon’ was precisely that hotel Black Dove. It seemed that the organization behind that dark elf was also using that name.
An organization that sells information?
Joshua was able to roughly guess what the organization she belonged to does just from her words.
“How big is that organization? Are you all capable of finding information about all the major events in Norland immediately?” Joshua continued to ask the dark elf.
“The answer to your question would be ‘without a doubt.’ Black Dove has existed in Norland before its founding. At the beginning, it was an organization of non-humans that gathered to help one another. As for now, it has grown to become an organization that encompasses the entirety of Norland...”
The dark elf did not bother to conceal anything about Black Dove. After all, what she told him would not be considered to be any kind of secret in Norland.
Basically, the people that had blended themselves in among the people of Norland and those powerful nobles had all heard of the organization Black Dove.
“Are you the leader of that organization?”
“I came to this city four years ago and got rid of the original leader of this organization. A portion of the people of this organization follows me. The other portion had chosen to keep silent.”
The dark elf revealed to Joshua that she was not only a capable intelligence gatherer with an ability to change her appearance, she was also a skillful hitman. Furthermore, she also possesses excellent administrative abilities.
“After that, you followed your master’s orders and braved dangers to monitor me?”
Regardless of which world one might be in, talents were scarce. Performers were only one type of talent. As for this dark elf, she was a different sort of talent Joshua sought after.
She possesses a talent for... journalism.
Because of that, Joshua planned to pick up his shovel to dig at the foot of the wall to undermine the foundation and steal the talent once more.
“I’ve done this sort of work countless times already.”
The dark elf shrugged to express that she had already gotten used to this. As a dark elf, it was very difficult for her to survive normally in this world to begin with. After all, humans were the race that ruled this world.
“I have an opportunity that would allow you to change your profession. Do you wish to give it a try? You would no longer need to risk your life by trailing dangerous people like me. You only need to sit in a room with a desk and a cozy cushion and wait for your subordinates to bring information to you. As for the members of the Black Dove, they do not have to live their lives impoverished and waiting for business all day either. I will pay them a monthly salary. In simpler terms, I am planning to legalize your information organization.”
Joshua stared into the dark elf’s light-purple eyes.
“The method at which you all make use of information is too simple and crude. There are much more meaningful applications for information.”
To spread earth’s culture using movies was only one method. But, movies were not the only source of multimedia on earth. There were also tv dramas, news, documentaries, variety shows and all kinds of other multimedias...
Once Joshua finished shooting ‘Léon: The Demon,’ he planned to set out to build the internet. Once he gains the intermediary known as the internet, he would be able to establish a television station in Norland.
News programs were indispensable to live televisions. The organization Black Dove was extremely suited to become news reporters.
“Meaningful? Are you talking about those... childish activities you’re engaging in?”
It would appear that Joshua was not eloquent enough to persuade this dark elf. She remained completely unmoved after hearing Joshua’s words.
The reason for that was because she knew very well what Joshua did after coming to Norland and why he did those things.
“Did you really think that the movies that you spoke of will be able to change humanity’s impression toward demons? Or perhaps, their impression toward all non-humans...?”
She had no idea where she gained the courage to question Joshua. But, having monitored Joshua for so long, that question has long been in her heart, stifling her.
‘Beauty and the Demon,’ was a completely unrealistic story to this dark elf. She was certain that there were many other people that felt the same way as her. She does not believe that the impression people had toward demons would change by something like that.
“About that, I’ll begin by changing your impression of movies.”
Joshua heard the sound of approaching footsteps. It might be a patrolling guard. Or, it might be a female servant delivering food. But regardless, it meant that there wasn’t much time remaining for Joshua to talk with the dark elf.
“I am about to film my next movie. If my next movie is able to evoke your emotions, then, miss dark elf, I would like for you to sit down and have a proper chat with me about your employment arrangements. Is that alright with you?”
Joshua’s words caused the black bird imprint on the dark elf’s neck to burn slightly. The burning sensation meant that her master seemed to be interested in Joshua’s proposal. Or perhaps, her master wanted to gamble with Joshua.
“I think I can accept your bet,” The dark elf nodded.
She had experienced truly many things in this world. Not to mention something capable of moving her, even emotions like happiness and excitement were extremely rare to her.
“I hope that a dark elf’s promise would not be as unreliable as the rumors say.”
Joshua watched as the dark elf transformed herself back into the appearance of the middle-aged butler. At this moment, a female servant pushing a trolley slowly walked past the hallway. When she saw Joshua and the middle-aged butler, she immediately bowed to them.
“Please follow me,” The middle-aged butler diligently led the way for Joshua.
After Joshua and Ciri exited Madam Schroder’s residence, it was already night time. When Joshua turned around, the dark elf had disappeared.
“I’m truly forward to seeing that dark elf crying with her hands covering her face at the scene of Léon’s death,” Ciri whispered to Joshua after exiting Madam Schroder’s mansion.
As for Joshua, he hissed at Ciri to be quiet, “Let’s start with tomorrow’s audition first.”
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Translator YangWenli:
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