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- You were the one who got him into this school? Why would you do that?

The director started to laugh. After he calmed himself, he started to inspect Jane more precisely than he did when he first saw her.

She was pretty, wearing a suit and a skirt, which looked like a typical clothing set, you would see in an office. Her shoulder long black hair was tied back into a ponytail and her piercing eyes seemed to analyse the director just as much as he did her. He was satisfied with the result of his analysis:

A hardworking woman, who was determined on her task and if needed she would do everything, no matter the cost, to get what she wanted, all that he knew, just by looking at her.

With his long years of training he could see through most humans. There were few exceptions to this. The best example to someone he couldn't read, would be Jack. He tried for many years but could never understand, nor read his thoughts. His black eyes were showing no hints of emotion. It was like looking at a body, if the body would be staring back at you. And while you were not able to get any information about said body, it seemed to know everything with just a glimpse at you. It was frightening to say the least. The director had only met a few people who scared him more, than Jack was able to when he first met him. Not that he was scared now, after all the years with him, he saw Jack as a highly intelligent young man, whom he had to be careful around, but he wasn't afraid of him anymore. It was more of a general respect both had developed for each other.

Jane on the other hand, he was able to read her like a book. With his information, he knew what he needed to say and when to say it, so everything would go smoothly for him and Jack too.

- Excuse me, I assume you don't have kids?

- No, I haven't found the right one yet, with my job occupying me and all, if you know what I mean.

- Oh yes, I myself am also searching, however I do have kids. Over four hundred to be precise.

- You mean your students?

- Exactly. Each one of them has a bright future ahead of them. I love my children dearly. They will be the future of our country, the next politicians, businessmen and scientists, who will change the world, each one contributing a bit to the bigger puzzle.

- But Jack is not one of those kids. He is just a normal person, someone who won't be at the top when he's an adult.

- Hmm... That is what we see, looking in his school file. But our society should know by now that how good someone is in school, does not show the intelligence of said person. ...Jack is very intelligent and has lots of talents. It's just that most people fail to see them.

- And you aren't one of those people? You realized his potential?

- No, I am afraid I didn't. It also took me a while to understand how he can be useful to society.

A small lamp was starting to blink next to the big monitor. Once Jane realized, she looked at it and asked the director about it.

- Excuse me, but what does this blinking stand for?

- How time flies by, am I right Miss Watson? The students should be arriving in the building now. That lamp shows me that the doors have opened. You may have noticed the other lamps next to it. These Lamps give me lots of information. It shows me everything that is happening in this school as well as its surroundings. That is also why I don't understand what Jack could have possibly done. If he did something out of the ordinary, I would know.

- Sadly, it's not that simple. I am afraid your Lamps won't help with why I am here.

Jane was looking at the screen, showing the students, all wearing their school uniform, laughing, the younger ones running around and talking in the hallways.

- Are you surprised Miss Watson?

- Indeed... This is such an exclusive school, I would have never guessed that the students would be like this...

- You mean like in every other, less privileged school? Yes that seems to be strange at first glance, doesn't it? But let me explain, that's all part of our rules. No, rules isn't the right term to use... Let's say our school philosophy.

- What do you mean?

Jane was again looking at the screen, searching for Jack, or perhaps even Melody, but soon, she stopped at the camera that was showing a hallway in the back of the school. Her eyes were glued to the screen and the director began to form a satisfied smile, no one but him was able to see. It was like the smile of a human feeding his dog. But Jane didn't realize that, she was looking at the scene unfolding before her.

Three boys were ganging up on a girl. The boys were looking like your typical bullies, the kind you would expect to see in movies. Simply the look of the girl made Jane sick. She wanted to intertwine in what was happening. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but one of boys was pulling her up close on her hair, while the others were just grinning in a dumb way. The boy began whispering something in her ear and then his face formed an ugly expression, for which Jane wanted to punch him. She felt like puking at this picture. After seeing the girl's eyes being filled with tears, while the boys just laughed over her crying, she looked away. She couldn't stand that scene.

- What seems to be the problem Miss Watson? This isn't something new at this school.

Although he seemed collected, there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

- What?!

Jane's disbelieve was written all over her face. She could not believe those words, especially coming from the director of the most famous school in the country, known for its outstanding and unique education.

- It's not a secret. The students just stay quiet and no outsider is allowed in here, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to me that you are shocked about this.

- What are you talking about?

Jane tone shifted from being overwhelmed at this prestige school, to disbelieve and a hint of fear.

- Our school is training the elite of the world. Kids are send here from all around the globe, to get the best preparation about their later life as the leaders of their generation. The real world out there is cruel. It's unfair and unforgiving. The talents of my students can't go to waste. They need to learn every last trick to get through life and even then it will be hard for some of them

- ...

- Here at my school we handle things different from other schools. I don't want to protect them for as long as I can. I want them to be prepared for war. Because that's what life is. A war. A war which will always be lost in the end. There are no exceptions.

His voice started to crack a bit.

- A war?

-Yes, life is a war. We are all fighting in it, some of us are aware, others aren't. But one day we will just be another corpse added to the battlefield.

He stood up from his chair, went to a drawer and got out some whiskey to pour it into a glass. Jane meanwhile was sitting there in silence taking in the words he just said.

- There is a way out of this war, people say. A partner. A loved one, a rival, a soulmate, to each their own. They think if you find your partner, the war will be over. I think that is an interesting thesis, however I cannot believe it. To me the war is lost the second it starts, which would be birth...

He was drinking from his whiskey glass, and then made a satisfied impression.

- The rules of this school state:

Everything is allowed, as long as there won't be legally trouble for the school.

This means that bullying someone, cheating in a test, ignoring the lessons completely, all of them are allowed.

- ...

Jane was speechless.

- Personally, I even encourage cheating. And bullying. Because the world out there won't be different. If you cheat and don't get caught, you have the biggest advantage possible. Bullying is normalized in our society, so learn how to handle it as soon as possible. Skip classes as often as you want, as long as the results are good, no one will ever care. The world out there is frightening, and sometimes I wonder if the end of the war would be the best option, if we should even live in the first place. Humans are cruel, and it breaks my heart. People who came to the same conclusion are wondering if it's even appropriate to bear a child with all this, if they should get kids in the first place.

I want my kids to be prepared. That is the only thing I can do. So when I see Mark Solders picking on Shiro Satou, of course I get upset. I have seen this scene so often, with so many different students, and sometimes I think, I just can't -

But then I remember that it is the best for them to live through this now, because there won't be serious consequences. I do all of this for them. I just want them to be happy, until they finally get the sweet release by death.

He drank the rest of his whiskey while Jane was sitting in her chair, not moving a muscle. She was stunned by the thoughts she had been given. There was so much she needed to think about. But one thing was for certain to her. This speech the director just gave was honest. She could tell, not only because of the tone or the sincerity behind those words, but because of the tears, running down her cheeks.

This man... He has my deepest respect. He is training soldiers each year, knowing they will be send into a war which isn't winnable. But he is doing it, because of this. He wants his children to survive the war as long as possible. Respect is the only thing that comes to mind looking at his broken expression on his face. He sent away so many of his children, and he will continue to do so, until he himself will lose in battle.

Understanding this, Jane and the director, who's Aura had changed completely in Jane's eyes, sat there in silence, mourning about a future that will never happen.

Victory, was the furthest away from them it could possibly be.