CHAPTER 2.6: Researcher's Convention

"Welcome, everyone! Today's main event is about to start. As you all know, each of the Five Lands will have its representative. Now, shall we start with the Land of Water?" The event host is a famous announcer all around the Five Lands. Everyone wants to hire him, but very few can hire him. From what I heard, the payment to hire him is very expensive, and honestly, I don't see what is so great about him. However, I do expect him to make this event more entertaining than last year's

Far from what I expected from him, he did his research and started with the Land of Water. It is a land where many scientists and researchers are known worldwide. They are many geniuses that are hard to compare to any other grounds. The Land of Water always has the most impressive discovery, and it is hard to stop them from being the number one land of researchers.

For them to be the first ones to represent first will be hard for the rest of us to impress the judges later on. This host indeed did this on purpose.

"We'll see how this day end..." I am only here at this event because I am the head researcher of the facility I am assigned with. I don't care which land will win this year's convention. Still, I'm curious about the kind of presentation the Land of Water presents, especially if that particular someone will represent the Land of Water.

"You seem very intrigue, Lady Solace." Danielle, who noticed me grinning, spoke. She looked slightly surprised, though I couldn't blame her. I rarely smile in front of others, and when I smile, it does nothing good will come out of the person I've targeted.

"Of course, she is. After all, the person who made a scene earlier is the one representing the Land of Water." Earlier she made a big deal of herself, saying that we regret crossing with her. Now, this is her chance to prove to us that there is something we should be afraid of her. This is the moment whether I should recognize her worth or not.

At the start of her speech, she made everyone curious about her theory, and I must say, she also hooked me. From my standing as an audience, her teammates' faces look as if they are upset with her. Though it is pretty apparent why they are upset because she is making it sound like she is the only one working on the project, and the rest of the teammates are just decorations and did not help at all. The Land of Water has the reputation of having great teamwork, and for her to take all the credit is putting dirt in their name.

"What was her name again, Callisto?"

"Sherry Laraine."

"Laraine, huh. She is a family member of the Laraine family. They have a reputation to uphold, and she is ruining it. Is Owen Laraine here?" I would love to see what kind of face Owen is making right now. I can only imagine the big disappointment on his face seeing a member of his family is putting on this kind of show.

"He is sitting right there." Callisto pointed out where Owen was sitting, and just as I expected, he was disappointed and angry at the same time. Their topic is good, but the way she is giving her speech makes the audience hard to understand her team's theory. She did not familiarize herself with the approach. She did not introduce the main point of their theory, and the most obvious thing is that she did not contribute any ideas.

"Owen Laraine? Is he here? Where? Where?" Danielle frantically searched around the place to find Owen Laraine. I find it not surprising if she wants to see Owen Laraine. He is the top researcher and scientist in all of the Five Lands. Everyone would want to meet him and impress a guy like him. If one has formed a connection with Owen, your career will bloom. That is not a rumor. That is facts.

"Over there. Come with me, and I can introduce you to him." I said as we walked our way toward Owen. I can see how nervous she is, but I sure do hope that she does not faint in front of him because that can make a negative first impression on Owen.

Owen greeted us first as soon as he saw us. "Lady Solace, it's a surprise to see you approaching me first. Since the day you became one of the most influential researcher researchers, you are a hard person to approach, and you would never try to make any connection." At my first ever convention as a researcher, I won the award. Like it is said by many people, I became one of the top researchers, and it impressed many many researchers all around the Five Lands, including the man in front of me.

It was a surprise to everyone, including my mother, that he approached me first after winning the award. He even asked me if I wanted to be his research partner. Of course, I denied his offer. Although it did not offend him, most people find it disrespectful of me to reject a bid from the one and only Owen Laraine. Since then, Owen did not give up, and from time to time, he still sends me that offer.

"Well, what can I say today? Today's event intrigues me so much to want to know your point of view on her performance today, Lord Laraine." Owen is the head of the House Laraine, and with that title on him, he would like the people who carry the Laraine name to uphold its reputation. If they can not do that, there would be no chance to stay in the Family Tree.

"Ah, you mean that stupid niece of mine? As you can see, Lady Solace, my niece, does not know what she is representing. She graduated at the top of her class, yet this is what she is showing me? Showing to the whole audience?" From each word coming out of his mouth, I can tell that he wants someone to drag his niece out of that stage and give her a good scolding.

"I'm guessing you spoiled her so much that she's not scared of showing this performance to you," I commented, but I know that Owen is not the type to spoil anybody, even if it is family. He wants the people around him to work hard and reach the top with their skills and talent.

The only reason that Sherry is at that stage right now is because of her blood relation to Owen. I may not know everything, but it is easy to conclude that she used her uncle's name to get where she is not. For some reason, I feel that she is desperate for something. I can't pinpoint what it is.

"I spoiled her? Hah! That is complete utter nonsense." He angrily said, then he walked away from me. I stared at his back as he walked away, and a smirk appeared on my face.

"I'm sorry, Danielle. I said I would introduce you to Owen, but it completely slipped my mind while talking to him." I planned to introduce Danielle to Owen, but I forgot, as I said to her. I was more preoccupied with Owen's reaction. How bad of me.

"No, no. It's completely fine. It's not like I'm such an important person for him to know." As she said those words, the volume of her voice got lower and lower. This girl needs to work on her confidence because she will be someone no one will be able to forget one day.