( 3rd POV )
The afternoon sun streamed through the grand arched windows of Olga Marie Animusphere's office, casting golden light across the mahogany meeting table that dominated the center of the room.
At the head of the table, Olga Marie sat upright, her fingers tapping lightly against the polished surface in a rhythm betraying her growing impatience. Her silver hair was impeccably arranged, but the furrow in her brow hinted at the exhaustion that came with managing Chaldea's new expansion efforts.
Before her, a woman with purple hair and a weary middle-aged man sat, accompanied by another two flickering holographic projections glowed, displaying the forms of Chaldea's senior member.
Sion sits, her eyes reflecting the holographic figures that float with eerie luminescence in the air around her. Waver Velvet, sat with his arms crossed, his expression one of weary concentration, no doubt nursing his third or fourth cup of coffee.
Meanwhile, Romani Archaman, appearing from Chaldea's headquarters, retained his ever-gentle demeanor, though the faint shadows beneath his eyes told another story altogether.
The last one who are also not present in the room, Kirschtaria Wodime, maintained his usual composed and regal bearing, exuding the quiet confidence of a leader accustomed to this kind of meeting
"This meeting has already lasted longer than expected. Let's get to the main topic," Olga finally stated, her voice crisp with authority. "Kirschtaria, as the appointed head of our new enterprise, I expect a full report on your progress."
Kirschtaria inclined his head slightly. "The company's infrastructure is nearing completion. The land acquisition process has concluded, and our investments have ensured that the primary construction phase is nearly finished. However, our most pressing challenge remains recruitment."
His gaze sharpened slightly. "Ophelia and I have been reaching out to specialists from this world, individuals whose expertise aligns with our objectives. So far, we've successfully secured Dr. Helen Cho and a handful of others, particularly in bioengineering and medical sciences. However, not all negotiations have been fruitful."
As he elaborated, his frown deepened with visible frustration. Kirschtaria couldn't shake the dissatisfaction that lingered over their progress. He and Ophelia had been preoccupied with company affairs ever since their arrival in New York. The Director had entrusted them with a crucial mission: to oversee the company's development while forging connections with influential figures and powerful factions across the globe.
But that would seem easier said than done.
Olga steepled her fingers. "Explain."
Kirschtaria's tone remained measured, though there was a subtle weight to his words. "Many of the experts we've approached—particularly those affiliated with Stark Industries, AIM, Oscorp and the Life Foundation—have been reluctant to collaborate. Some cited existing obligations, while others expressed concerns regarding our company's lack of public transparency." He paused, sighing heavily, "It's really not easy poach them as a newcomer in this industry."
Waver exhaled sharply, setting his coffee cup down with an audible clink. "That was to be expected. Unlike the power structures we're familiar with, this world operates under an entirely different paradigm—one where corporate alliances and political influences play a dominant role. Without a clear history or affiliations, Chaldea cover company is simply a foreign entity to them."
Sion, who had been listening intently, adjusted her glasses and interjected. "Despite those setbacks, acquiring Helen Cho's expertise is a major breakthrough. Her research in regenerative medicine and cellular reconstruction will give our company a strong foundation in medical technology. If only we could also poach Maya Hansen from AIM..."
"Trust me, I've tried. Those yellow minions are really hard to negotiate with, our chance to recruit her in fair manner is slim. But at least we managed to invited Dr. Otto Octavius, before he become insane." Kirschtaria wryly smiled as he explains his difficulty.
Kirschtaria and Ophelia had managed to recruit the future Doc Ock when he was looking for a funding for his research. Otto seems to be desperate with this issue when they found him, as many of the previous investor began to back out mysteriously from his research.
Knowing the situation, both of them strike while the iron is still hot. They invited him and promised Otto to give him the funding and the support he wants. The other Chaldea's members are also informed by this 'unique' recruitment, but they didn't oppose it, instead they accept it with a calm manner instead.
"Dr. Otto Octavius, huh..." Waver muttered, remembering the man description from Ken's file. "Well, as long as we prevent his tentacles chip from frying his brain, he is quite the asset for us."
Olga sighed, rubbing her temples. "I understand the difficulties, but we need results. The company will officially launch in early-February! If we can't rely solely on external recruitment, we must look at strengthening our internal assets." Her gaze shifted to Sion. "That brings me to our next concern—production viability. What exactly are we bringing to market?"
Knowing that it was her cue, Sion's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I'm glad you asked." She tapped a few keys on her console, bringing up a series of intricate holographic schematics. "After conducting an extensive analysis of technological gaps and economic trends, I've carefully selected items that align with our world's advancements while avoiding anything that would expose our deeper secrets."
Feeling intrigue, Olga leaned forward, resting her chin on her clasped hands. "Let's hear it."
Sion raised a finger. "First, prosthetics. But not just any prosthetics—ones modeled after the designs of Touko Aozaki. While it cannot compare to the ones she made, our prosthetics is highly adaptive, near-natural artificial limbs that function at peak efficiency while remaining indistinguishable from real flesh to the untrained eye. Unlike conventional models, these will offer unparalleled sensory feedback and mobility."
The hologram in front of them showing an array of different variety of prosthetics. Like, arms, leg, and even eyeball. Their appearance didn't even look like the other prosthetics out there, but instead it was closer to the real ones.
Waver tilted his head slightly, considering the implications. "That's a solid idea. The Scarred Red prosthetics is indeed plausible piece of technology. Cutting-edge prosthetics are in high demand, and if you market it right, you won't even need to worry about competitors. No one in this world can match something of that quality."
Sion smirked. "Exactly. But that's just the first step. The second product is a personal healthcare companion—an inflatable, fully automated medical assistant. Think of it as a walking, talking first-aid kit that can diagnose and treat minor ailments on the spot while also providing emotional support."
Kirschtaria's normally composed expression shifted ever so slightly into one of curiosity. "You mean something akin to a portable, autonomous medic? That would be revolutionary."
"Precisely," Sion confirmed, crossing her arms. "The design is simple enough to mass-produce without excessive costs, and it can be programmed for various medical applications, making it indispensable for civilians and professionals alike. Even the cost to produce this thing is simply too cheap for us."
The hologram in front of them shifted again as Sion command it, showing a two and a half meters white inflatable automaton. It has black eyes with closable eyelids. The external structure resembles the appearance of a cute, fluffy snowman, or a big marshmallow.
Romani chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "That actually looks and sounds adorable. A robotic assistant that helps people and gives them comfort? I wouldn't mind having one of those myself. Children would love it."
Sion shot him a knowing look. "And that's why it'll sell."
After listening to Sion plan, Olga exhaled, absorbing the information. "These ideas are solid, but what about production? We're not exactly in a position to run a full-scale manufacturing plant on our own."
Romani, who had been waiting for his turn to speak, smiled reassuringly. "Actually, that won't be a problem. We can produce everything we need using our remaining resources, and the cost is negligible compared to what we've already invested. More importantly, Mr. Babbage's Noble Phantasm allows him for fully summon his automations, unlimited manufacturing capabilities. With his help, we can maintain steady production without attracting unnecessary attention."
A visible wave of relief washed over the room. Olga exhaled, closing her eyes for a moment as the tension in her shoulders eased. Waver muttered something under his breath about how much easier things would have been if automation like that existed to help him daily. Even Kirschtaria, who had maintained his usual composed demeanor, allowed a small nod of approval.
"That's a weight off our backs," Olga admitted, her voice softer than before. "For the past few months, I've been dreading the worst. Without proper backup, we've been vulnerable since our arrival in this universe. The last thing we needed was for our cover operation to fail before it even started."
Kirschtaria leaned back slightly, his sharp gaze settling on her. "We're not out of the woods yet, Director, but this is a significant step in securing our foothold. With these products and a reliable production line, we can establish ourselves properly and we also don't need to worry about our future resources."
Sion grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "See? I told you we had this under control, Olga. Now, all that's left is marketing, distribution, and a bit of legal maneuvering to make sure we don't step on the wrong toes."
Waver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's the part I'm dreading. Dealing with the bureaucratic nonsense of this world will be more exhausting than anything else."
For him, this kind of thing is simply a nightmare. He rather stays all day long in the mansion, teaching those newcomers the wonderful uses of magecraft instead.
Olga shook her head, a small smile forming despite herself. "Then I suppose we'd better start preparing. The last thing I want is for all this effort to be wasted."
Kirschtaria nodded in agreement. "Right. We also should also be mindful of how quickly we expand. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves, especially from organizations like Stark Industries or SHIELD."
Sion's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh, don't worry about Stark. They are in shambles now, with their big brain being missing. Even if Ken and the other managed to find him and rescue him, knowing what the man gonna do, the chaos within the company will persist for quite some time."
The situation, however, was far from humorous. According to SHEBA's calculated time estimates, Tony Stark had been held captive by a terrorist organization for over a week. The absence of the famed genius had left Stark Industries scrambling.
With the assistance of the military, the company had launched an intensive, covert search operation to locate Stark's whereabouts, making every effort to keep the situation concealed from the public eye.
But such sensitive matters could only be hidden for so long. Rumors and speculation would soon begin to seep through the cracks, and when the truth inevitably surfaced, the fallout could send ripples across industries and governments alike.
Olga sighed, massaging her temples. "Just… don't do anything reckless. The last thing we need is—" But before Olga could finish speaking, a shaky voice interrupted her.
"Um... Director Olga," Romani's expression shifted on the hologram display. His brows furrowed, his fingers twitched slightly, and an uneasy silence filled the room as he hesitated. Then, clearing his throat, he spoke with measured concern. "Actually... there's one more issue we need to address."
The shift in atmosphere was immediate. The brief moment of relief—the feeling that they were finally wrapping up—evaporated like mist in the morning sun. Olga's shoulders stiffened, her jaw tightening as irritation flickered in her sharp golden eyes. "What now?"
Romani sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, clearly reluctant to be the bearer of bad news. "It's about the two Casters that Ken summoned—Avicebron and Charles Babbage. They've been... restless recently. Agitated, even. And after hearing this, you'll understand why."
Olga leaned forward slightly, lacing her fingers together in contemplation. "Go on."
Romani nodded. "While on patrol in the Savage Land, Avicebron's golem detected something unusual—deep within the mountains, veins of a rare ore. But not just any ore. It's the Anti-metal."
The word carried weight, settling over them like an oppressive storm cloud. There was a beat of silence before Waver let out a sharp breath, muttering under his breath, "Sigh, that complicates things. Didn't we all agree to not to touch that thing for now?"
Romani's nod was slow, his voice tinged with urgency. "The moment they realized what it was, both Babbage and Avicebron... well, they reacted exactly how you'd expect for a scientist and a magus would react. They're obsessed with the discovery of a new material. They've been brainstorming every possible method to reach it. But there's a major problem."
"Let me guess, they decide to go for it but they failed." Sion who had been listening quietly said.
Romani's lips pressed into a thin line before he delivered the news. "Babbage's automatons were destroyed before they even got close. The anti-metal properties completely disintegrated them. The moment they made contact, they just... melted."
A heavy silence followed.
Olga exhaled sharply, massaging her temples as frustration simmered beneath the surface. "Of course they did," she muttered. "Let me guess—Babbage and Avicebron aren't taking no for an answer?"
Romani let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "Not in the slightest. I've managed to talk them down for now, but it won't last. They're too fixated on the potential applications of the material. I figured I should bring this to your attention before one of them does something reckless."
Olga's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Under no circumstances are they to enter those caves. I don't care how much they want it, I don't care how 'important' they think it is—if they even attempt to go near that ore, tell Ken to shut them down. By any means necessary. We have too much thing in our hand to handle right now."
"Understood," Romani said quickly, though his tone betrayed his unease. "But that still leaves us with a problem. How are we supposed to extract the ore if even Babbage's automatons can't get near it?"
Olga didn't answer immediately. Instead, her gaze shifted toward Sion, one of Chaldea geniuses. It was an unspoken command, an unambiguous signal to her friend saying—fix this.
Sion, however, leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms, a knowing smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Oh no. Don't you dare push this onto me, Olga. I already have a hundred other projects demanding my attention in my workshop, and this? This isn't something I can solve with a snap of my fingers. Besides, Da Vinci isn't even here, and she'd be the ideal person for this kind of problem."
Olga's scowl deepened, her fingers drumming impatiently against the table. "Tch... Fine. But this problem isn't going to disappear on its own. The last thing I need is those Casters deciding to go rogue because they can't resist the allure of new materials."
"Agreed," Kirschtaria said, his voice composed yet firm. "We'll need alternative extraction methods. But for now, keeping the two Casters under control is our top priority. Should we inform Ken about this matter? After all we need Mr. Babbage cooperation soon."
Romani exhaled, relieved that the issue was at least acknowledged. "Let's not bother him for now, as he's still in the middle of his journey. I'll do my best to keep them in check."
"Alright," Olga sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just... handle it for now. We'll come up with a solution for Anti Metal later."
Even as they moved on to other topics, the weight of the issue lingered as an unsolved equation demanding an answer.
"By the way, what's the name that the future company will use?" Waver asked, trying to changing the topic.
Olga and the other stayed silence for a second before she inform them the name.
"Let's name it Atlas."
"Atlas Institute."
.....
----------
A/N: Give me the stones, comments and reviews, I appreciate it. Thanks!