"Nevertheless, it's unexplainable how they both possess such similar skills and abilities, and why Mika chose to abandon Marz despite his evident strength," Jessica pondered out loud.
"...Actually, I have a theory about that as well," Mina said abruptly.
!?
"Speak," Jessica asked.
"We know that Mika refused to take in King Madlock's daughter, Ziona, right?" Mina said.
"Yeah, and what about that?" Jessica asked curiously.
"...Though we know Ziona is a strong and capable swordswoman, what if Mika didn't take her in because Ziona doesn't have the skill that she was looking for in her disciple," Mina said.
"You mean...?" Jessica's eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly realized something.
"Yes, you saw that Ares was able to copy Tania's fighting style, despite Tania not teaching him, after watching the highlights of their match, right?" Mina explained.
"...."
'No wonder they're both so strong at their age. Was it because of their natural talent for easily learning and mastering the skills of others?' Jessica mused, her mind racing with the possibilities.
She held her head with one hand and examined the letter from the unknown person, who she now thinks is most likely Marz, she began to speak.
"So Ares and Marz are indeed related, huh?" Jessica mused.
The letter read:
[Dear Jessica,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am an anonymous person who has been keeping an eye on your work as the Hero Association president. I must say, I have always admired the way you handle things.
Recently, I came across a demon colony by accident, and I couldn't help but think of you. With your reputation for eliminating demon threats, I felt obligated to take matters into my own hands and wipe out the colony myself. It wasn't an easy task, but I managed to succeed.
But while doing so, I stumbled upon a recording crystal that contained some valuable information that I believe might interest you.
The crystal has the locations of several other demon colonies spread across many kingdoms. And I am also sending you a sample of a unique potion that I found in the demon colony that can disguise demons among humans and other races. I believe this information can be useful to you and your association in your ongoing fight against evil.
I know we have never met, but I feel a strong admiration for you and your work. Your dedication to protecting humanity is truly inspiring. I hope this information can be of some use to you, and I look forward to hearing about your future accomplishments.
Sincerely,
Your admirer.]
Jessica felt a warm feeling in her chest as she read the letter once again. Despite being the president of the Hero Association and having many people show admiration towards her, she could easily discern those who were only seeking to impress her with false flattery.
But there was something about this letter that made her believe the admiration was genuine.
As a firm believer in the saying, "actions speak louder than words," Marz's actions spoke volumes. The way he single-handedly cleared the demon colony and went out of his way to fight a demon lord made Jessica believe everything he mentioned in the letter.
As she read through the contents again, a smile spread across her face. The fact that this anonymous person had gone out of their way to wipe out a demon colony just to help her was a true testament to their admiration. She felt grateful and touched by the gesture.
This person had piqued her curiosity, and she was determined to uncover their identity and express her gratitude for their help in person.
Mina watched as Jessica read the letter with a smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed as she thought to herself, "Why is she smiling like she's reading a love letter? Doesn't she see that this person is just trying to flatter her to gain favor?"
"I don't know who wrote that letter, but they certainly know how to get on the president's good side," Mina muttered to herself.
As Jessica was lost in her thoughts, Mina's voice brought her out of her daze.
"...What should we do now, President? You have offended Ares, who seemed to be close to Marz like a brother. What if he decides to come after you as well? And more importantly, what if he goes after Tania to get Mika's revenge?" Mina asked, her voice full of concern.
Jessica sighed. "No, people like Marz can't be that petty! Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent this letter to me."
"But what if we're wrong? What if Marz really does come after us?" Mina persisted. "We can't just sit here and do nothing. We need to be proactive."
"...I think we should invite Marz to the upcoming conference. He has experience fighting a demon lord, and it could be quite helpful to us if he's willing to share his knowledge," Jessica said abruptly.
"H-Huh? But aren't all the people attending the conference monarchs and other important individuals? Will they appreciate his presence?" Mina hesitated.
"What are you talking about? If he accepts the invite, he will be our most important guest at the conference," Jessica retorted.
Mina nodded, but then raised another concern. "But how are we going to invite him? We have no information about where he is."
"We know where his brother is, right? Why don't you go and start asking for his help to get in contact with Marz?" Jessica suggested with a smile.
"But... but wasn't it you who offended Ares? Will he help us now?" Mina asked, her eyes wide with apprehension.
"That's up to you. Do whatever it takes to get Marz's contact information. I'm counting on you, Mina!" Jessica said as she vanished from the room, leaving Mina standing alone.
Mina groaned in frustration. "Why me? Why do I always get stuck with the hard jobs?"
Sigh!—
"...Did she leave?" Mina muttered with a grin, looking around the empty room. She took out her phone and began to text someone.
...
...
Jessica was so wiped out, she didn't even notice her secretary playing puppet master with the whole conversation, pulling strings left and right to land on the desired outcome. It was like a game of chess, and her secretary Mina had been checkmating Jessica all along!
However, who was the real hand controlling the game?
Chapter End...
***
As the famous saying goes:
[Never turn your back on your enemies, but also don't let your best friend have the password to your phone. They might use it to tweet something embarrassing from your account.]
(A-Ahem* wrong idiom.)
"Just don't trust anyone!"
:)
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