A week later.
Aron strolled alone, making his way into the hotel, his steps purposeful as he approached the reception area. He carried a bag in his hand, having entrusted his car in the hands of the hotel’s valet for him to go and park the car.
“Welcome, Mr. Aron,” Alexander exclaimed, rising from the comfortable chairs in the hotel lobby. He had been patiently waiting for Aron’s arrival, to accompany him to the meeting room they had scheduled.
“Oh, Alexander,” Aron replied warmly, extending his hand for a handshake.
“How have you been?” Alexander asked, his tone filled with genuine interest.
“Quite well, although your regional leaders have been the only ones causing some mischief,” Aron responded in a playful manner. Over time, their frequent calls had brought them closer, fostering a light-hearted banter between them.
“I apologize for that,” Alexander replied, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his voice. Although he knew Aron was merely teasing him, he couldn’t help but feel a tad self-conscious.
“Don’t worry, after today, everything will be resolved,” Aron assured, lightly tapping Alexander’s hand in a reassuring manner.
“Let’s head to the meeting room,” Alexander suggested, taking the lead as he and Aron began walking towards the elevator.
“But shouldn’t they be joining us as well? Where are they?” Aron inquired, realizing that Alexander was alone.
“They are already waiting in the meeting room.” Alexander explained.
“Don’t worry about it,” Aron reassured, noticing that their conversations often seemed to end with Alexander appearing a bit disheartened.
As they stepped into the elevator and it began raising, Alexander initiated small talk, filling the brief ride with casual conversation while they waited for their arrival at the floor where the conference room was located.
…….
“Welcome,” they promptly stood up as Aron entered the room alongside Alexander, displaying a gesture of respect, albeit without genuine sentiment behind it.
Alexander guided Aron to his chair, before taking his own seat as the meeting was about to commence.
“So, Mr. Aron, before we delve into the next topic, could you please introduce yourself? The upcoming discussion heavily relies on our understanding of your background,” Adam stated as soon as the meeting commenced.
A smile played across Aron’s face as he responded, “Before I address any of your inquiries, I kindly request that each of you sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Without the signed agreement, I won’t be able to answer your questions.” He retrieved a stack of contracts from his bag and placed them on the table, inviting them to review and sign the documents.
Ace took hold of the stack of contracts and proceeded to distribute them among the attendees in the room. Each person began reading through the contents of the NDA contracts thoroughly.
One by one, they began signing the contracts as they noticed that everything was in order and the clauses were standard for an NDA. Additionally, they reasoned that they could easily break the contract whenever they deemed necessary, considering the lack of enforcement.
As they signed the contracts, as usual Aron felt the same sensation of a knot being tied down. However, his heightened sensitivity allowed him to discern that the weight of the knot on his soul has slightly increased but he considered it as a mistake on his part and decided to postpone further contemplation on it when the meeting was over.
When everyone completed signing their contracts, without wasting any time he began introducing himself. “As most of you already know, my name is Aron Michael. As for my occupation, I am the owner of GAIA Technology. That’s all there is to it; I don’t believe any further details about me are necessary.”
“How old are you?” Ace inquired, curious about Aron’s age, considering he still appeared to be in his twenties.
“I’m in my twenties, and that’s all I’ll disclose,” Aron responded, deciding not to divulge his actual age. He sensed that Ace intended to exploit his age as a means to undermine him.
“That’s perfectly fine,” Oscar interjected, noticing Ace’s intention to pry for Aron’s full age.
“So, Mr. Aron, based on Sir Alexander’s explanations, he mentioned that your assistance is contingent upon the condition that once we successfully assume control of the country, you want us to rewrite the constitution and the abolition of the military and its institutions. Is this information accurate?” Adam inquired.
“Yes,” Aron replied succinctly with a single word.
“Could you please explain the reason behind your proposal?” Adam asked.
“I intend for my private forces to assume their role and function as the country’s military,” Aron explained.
“But why do you prefer it to be that way? Is it primarily a matter of financial gain? If so, we can discuss compensating you after the coup,” Adam pressed further, wanting to understand Aron’s motivation behind wanting to replace the existing military.
“When it comes to money, I possess wealth exceeding your country’s GDP, so it’s not about financial gain,” Aron clarified. “The reason behind my proposal is to establish a legal framework that enables me to expand my forces without external interference. This way, I can safeguard the things I value without relying on the protection of others.”
“Then why Eden? There are numerous unstable countries in the world that you could have chosen,” Ace interjected, seeking further clarification.
“Among the numerous candidates initially considered, only two countries—Eden and Esparia—remained in the selection process,” Aron explained. “The reason for choosing these two countries is their geographical isolation. Being situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, they are mutually exclusive, with no immediate neighboring countries other than themselves. This unique circumstance makes them the perfect locations for establishing my forces.
The geographical distance between Eden and other countries allows me to expand my forces to a scale comparable to the world’s largest militaries without provoking tensions with any nation, except for Esparia.
As for why I chose Eden over Esparia, it primarily relates to the size factor. Eden’s land mass is nearly equivalent to that of Australia, providing ample space to justify the desired expansion of my forces.” Aron explained without hiding anything as he was sure that no one would like anything he said in the room.
“Okay, since you will be assuming control over the military and its institutions, who will we be paying for their services?” Inquired another member of the meeting, who had remained silent until now.
“You will only be responsible for paying the salaries of the forces and providing the necessary land for the military. As for weapons procurement, research and development, training, and all other expenses, they will be covered by me. So, you don’t have to worry about those aspects. You will have a world-class military while operating within the budget of an underdeveloped country,” Aron explained. He was confident that despite shouldering the majority of the expenses, the overall cost would be extremely low due to him planning to use the universal simulation.
As Aron’s response reached their ears, a collective gasp of astonishment spread throughout the room. Even Alexander, who had been closely working with Aron, found himself taken aback, unaware of Aron’s plan to cover all the additional expenses.
“Any more questions?” Aron asked, noticing the silence that had fallen upon the room.
Ace, with a noticeable change in his demeanor, spoke up, “I have a question regarding the military. Your plan, as shared with us, did not address how you intend to handle the current military. Could you please provide some insights?”
“I have already held a meeting with the generals last week and addressed that particular concern,” Aron replied confidently, eliciting another wave of surprise from the attendees. “They have agreed to assist us in the coup d’état, and once the constitutional change takes place, they will be integrated into my forces after the disbandment of their previous institutions.”
Curiosity piqued, Adam interjected, “May I ask what you did to persuade them to agree to such a deal?”
“That’s a business secret,” Aron replied with a smile on his face, maintaining an air of mystery around his tactics.
“You mentioned that you will be undertaking the research, but could you please clarify what specific areas or subjects the research will cover?” one of the attendees inquired, seeking further details.
After a brief pause, Aron began his response, “The research will encompass a wide range of areas essential to the military’s requirements. This includes weapons research and development, as well as addressing all other aspects necessary for a fully functional military force. Given that we will be operating as a quasi-mercenary group masquerading as an army, it is anticipated that many countries will be reluctant to sell us their weapons. Therefore, we need to establish our own research department to ensure we have the necessary capabilities.”
“That’s true,” Ace agreed with Aron’s explanation. He was confident that they would need to spend a few more months waiting for other countries to acknowledge the new country followed by them forming diplomatic relationships, which would be followed by the lifting of sanctions imposed on the country.
The other members in the room immediately started asking the questions they had in mind or requested further clarification on the answers Aron had provided. Throughout the entire discussion, Aron diligently responded to each question, providing the necessary information without divulging anything beyond what was needed.
Aron opted for this approach to ensure that his upcoming plans could proceed without any hindrance or delays caused by the removal of the individuals in the room. He wanted to avoid any adjustments to his plan and desired to move forward with the next steps as soon as possible.