[So, what reward did the system reward you?]
With a smile on his face, Aron replied, “It provided me with a fraction of the knowledge regarding MANA.”
After hearing Aron’s response, Nova said, [Considering the context provided by the system’s previous statement, it seems that the knowledge is related to the ongoing research within the Golden City.]
“You are correct. With this newfound knowledge, the research in the lab city can be completed within a month at the most, as it addresses most of the problems they were facing,” he affirmed, as he left the room and headed towards the vending machine offering drinks for the base residents
After grabbing a bottle of water, Aron took a refreshing sip. As he finished, he hesitated for a moment before he tossed it into the trash can having received an inspiration.
Without wasting any time, he briskly walked to his room to act upon the inspiration.
“Is something wrong?” Nova inquired as soon as he logged into the universal simulation, having observed his behavior at the vending machine via the CCTV in the building.
“No, I’ve just stumbled upon some inspiration. Display the list of countries to which the majority of the world’s trash is being sent?” Aron asked, deliberately withholding the details of his inspiration, trusting that Nova would grasp its nature from his statement.
Nova replied, conjuring a holographic screen in front of Aron that displayed the countries involved.
[
China
Malaysia
Thailand
Vietnam
Indonesia
]
As Aron read through the list, Nova couldn’t help but inquire, [Are you considering becoming the recipient of those waste shipments?] as she continued to analyze the situation, trying to deduce Aron’s intentions.
“Yes, after I took a sip of water and was about to dispose of the bottle, an idea struck me,” Aron exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement. “What if we collect the waste and disintegrate it, using the resulting material as a resource for our printer? It could serve as a kind of ink, you might say.”
[That’s highly efficient,] Nova chimed in, fully endorsing Aron’s idea. [By establishing a sizable waste facility equipped with a disintegration system and atom packaging facility, we can effortlessly address the issue. We would have access to cost-effective materials that others perceive as worthless, whereas for us, they would be no different from the purest substances.]
“Exactly,” Aron affirmed, building upon his plan. “I’ll have a discussion with Alexander and propose a law that facilitates the importation of waste under the condition that it must not end up in landfills but instead be recycled. This way, we can ensure that we are the only ones who have the capability of meeting the standards of the laws.”
[True, would you like me to arrange a meeting with him? After all, you were supposed to meet him and discuss potential investments,] Nova suggested.
“Sure, go ahead and arrange the meeting. It has been a month since I last saw him, and during that time, we only had one phone call,” Aron recalled, reflecting on the limited communication he had with Alexander. “And that call only happened because I took a break to connect with my family, as we hadn’t seen each other for over five months,” he said as he laughed at the situation he was in. He was ghosting the president of a country.
[He said you’re welcome to visit the presidential palace anytime, and he’ll be available for a meeting with you.] Nova relayed Alexander’s response.
“Let’s meet him right away then,” Aron said. “Now that the printer is sorted, everything else will fall into place effortlessly.” He swiftly headed towards the bathroom to freshen up and prepare himself for the meeting with Alexander
…
As Aron’s car navigated through the now bustling streets of the capital city, he couldn’t help but notice a palpable shift in the atmosphere. Although the physical surroundings appeared unchanged, the expressions worn by the people told a different tale.
While the majority of people exhibited a sense of satisfaction and contentment with the changes unfolding, a small minority wore expressions of complete opposition. Their dissenting emotions stood in stark contrast to the prevailing sentiment, highlighting a divergence of opinions within the populace.
During the month when Aron was focused on his closed-door production, Adolf’s trial had commenced and continued to be broadcasted live for the entire nation to watch.
The prevailing expectation among many people was that the punishment Adolf would receive from the trial would be severe enough to set an unprecedented precedent in the history of the young country.
“It feels great to be outside after such a long time,” Aron remarked, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings from within the car. Being confined inside the base for over a month had made him appreciate the simple pleasure of being outdoors once again.
As the car pulled up to the entrance of the presidential palace, it became evident that the premises were heavily guarded by Ares members. Spotting Aron’s arrival, they promptly saluted him and swiftly opened the gates without subjecting him to any inspection or security checks.
“Welcome, Mr. Aron,” a graceful woman greeted Aron with utmost respect as he stepped out of the car, just before it drove away.
“Thank you, and you are?” Aron inquired, extending his hand for a handshake as a gesture of greeting.
“I’m Zoe, the President’s secretary,” she replied respectfully, acknowledging Aron’s question while reciprocating the handshake. “I have been informed that he is expecting you, and it is my duty to welcome you and escort you to his office upon your arrival.” Zoe’s words carried a sense of deference, reminiscent of the tone Alexander had when speaking about Aron—an unmistakable display of respect for the man.
“Then, let’s not keep him waiting. Lead the way,” Aron responded with a warm smile, appreciating Zoe’s promptness.
“This way,” Zoe said, gracefully stepping aside and opening the path for Aron to proceed.
Gesturing toward the direction they needed to go, she guided him toward Alexander’s room, creating a clear path for their journey.
……
“Welcome,” Alexander greeted, rising from his chair and approaching Aron with an outstretched hand for a handshake.
“Thank you, and I apologize for not keeping in touch frequently,” Aron replied, reciprocating the handshake with a warm smile on his face.
“Don’t worry about it. I understand that someone as busy as you is always occupied,” Alexander assured, gesturing towards one of the chairs, indicating for Aron to take a seat.
“What beverage would you prefer?” Alexander inquired after they had settled into their seats.
“I will have mango juice,” Aron answered without taking even a moment to think about what to drink.
The secretary, having already noted Aron’s drink preference, excused herself and departed to fetch their drinks.
While they waited for the drinks to arrive, they engaged in casual conversation, passing the time with small talk. Once the secretary returned with the beverages and left the room, Aron and Alexander transitioned into a more serious discussion, delving into the matters at hand.
“How is your leadership role in the country going?” Aron inquired.
“All in all, I can say it’s going very well,” Alexander responded. “The international community has been receptive to us, especially after we successfully completed the new constitution.
Once America acknowledged the new government, other nations followed suit, with only a handful of countries holding back their recognition. However, there is one particular nation that remains significant in this regard.”
“Esparia?” Aron asked.
“Yes, unfortunately, they have chosen not to acknowledge us and have been causing various challenges,” Alexander responded with a tinge of annoyance evident on his face. “They have severed most of the diplomatic relations between our nations and completely cut ties with us.”
“What is the cause behind their actions? Did they provide any specific reasons for their actions?” Aron questioned, contemplating a few potential factors that might have influenced Esparia’s decision.
“During Adolf’s reign, Esparia benefited significantly from various avenues that he provided.
However, since we assumed power, we have eliminated most of those avenues, effectively severing one of their major sources of income. Consequently, those who had been benefitting from the previous arrangement are now angered and retaliating.
They have stated that they will not rebuild the ties or engage in any positive measures until we guarantee them that we will continue the same arrangements that Adolf had with them,” Alexander explained, shedding light on the situation.
“So, are there any detrimental effects on our side as a result of their actions?” Aron inquired, curious to know if Esparia’s shenanigans were causing any significant harm to Eden.
“Yes, indeed. During Adolf’s regime, since he neglected to reinvest the country’s funds into infrastructure, many of our import facilitation facilities have become outdated over time.
Consequently, a significant portion of our imports relied on Esparia’s port, which had the capacity to handle large volumes of goods. From there, the goods would be transported to our country via cars and small boats.
However, with the port now denying our goods entry, a considerable number of goods have been confiscated and individuals who got their earnings from transporting those goods have been left unemployed. This has resulted in a large number of previously employed people being jobless.
Furthermore, our outdated airport facilities posed another challenge. Since the airport lacked modern equipment, Esparia had been the primary destination for refueling international planes coming to and from Eden.
With them severing ties with us, they have refused to service any planes originating from our country, causing many airlines to reduce their flights from a weekly to a monthly basis.
These examples are just a few of the damages incurred.
As for the reminder, while they may not individually hold the same magnitude when combined, they inflict pain on both the government and the citizens,” Alexander elaborated, highlighting the extent of the harm caused by Esparia’s actions.
“Since they are denying us access to their facilities, the solution is simple: we will build our own,” Aron stated confidently, a smile adorning his face.
“Are you going to be the one building them?” Alexander asked, knowing that Aron knew the country’s financial situation that was making it difficult to invest in the construction of new and large infrastructures at the moment.
“That, and much more,” Aron replied, a smile playing on his lips as he slid a folder filled with stacks of papers toward Alexander.