Rin Grayson as he was about to just get this over with and proceeded to comply with the noble, Edmund Von'lahden, was brought in confusion as the boy was suddenly stop in his attempted action of kneeling down apologetically thanks to the sudden intervention of Jonathan.
The headmaster with a solemn smile on his handsome face then stood up from his desk and calmly approaches the blue-haired boy beside him.
Edmund could only glower deeply at Jonathan interrupting Rin, the noble now crossing his arms as he gazes the headmaster in slight contempt. "What's the meaning of this Jonathan? Are you trying to save her from this inevitable cause. I may perhaps understand you intervening since it involves one of your students after all, but this is a strict affair in the system that this kingdom of which we nobles have to advocate. Being a noble yourself, you should not let your feelings as a headmaster precede over the strict governance that we must uphold on the kingdom's people. You of all people should know that Jonathan."
Edmund's statement merely causes Jonathan, a reaction definitely unexpected by everyone inside the room as the headmaster without a spare of a moment, laughed wholeheartedly like the man had heard a funny joke.
In the sidelines, Kana and Meiko are merely dumbfounded at the headmaster's response, well just like anyone else really but it was Kana, the daughter who was the most confused of all, not seeing this side of her father after all.
"Hey uh, Kana?" Meiko could not help but ask as she eyed her classmate beside her. "Not to be rude or anything but I think your dad is mental. I'm not even sure what's funny in this situation."
"Y-yeah." Kana stuttered, her tone filled with uncertainty. "Sure, father is known to be also a funny man, even within the company and his peers but in a good way of course as he can sometimes be a comedian but in this very moment, I agree with you that even I can't find a single trace of hilarity amidst this trouble.
Also beside Rina, the Lion Lucia also stared at her long time friend in a 'what the fuck?' expression as even her own eccentrics couldn't even compete with the likes of the headmaster.
Then Lucia's eyes widen as she realized at what Jonathan is deviously up to, a sly smirk forming subtly on her pretty face. 'I see. Jonathan you clever bastard. I should have known that you always have something inside that bag of tricks of yours.'
Of course, being a fellow conniving player herself in the game of intrigue and deception, Lucia merely left Jonathan to what he was supposed to do and opted to let the brown-haired man do his thing, engross at how this will play all out.
In response, Edmund frowned as his eyes glint dangerously at the brown-haired man. "What is funny Jonathan? If you find this hilarious then you are a fool. In case you forgot, it is us nobles who have maintained the foundations that this kingdom has dedicatedly stood for. The commoners may have their purpose but you can't deny that it is us that have guided them to a path for their own good as per the bowels deep within our rich history. It's because of us that wars are prevented, hunger is negated, and poverty was diverted. So it is only right that commoners give us the respect that we deserve for all the things that we are doing for them."
The headmaster finally ceased his laugh, wiping his joyous tears as he now joined the conversation once more.
"Ahahaha sorry, sorry." Jonathan rubs his head sheepishly. "It's just that in all your talk of nobles being superior and everything, you may have missed a certain but very important point that kind of make this meeting all but null."
"A null? You mean useless Jonathan?" Edmund lashed out. "What is there to be null you fool? It is clearly as bright as day that Rina Mayfield, a commoner has openly gone against my daughter, a noble, one with blue blood. Tradition and law dictate that the girl should perform the necessary action of making amends. You are lucky that I have just let the poor girl just be on her knees and nothing else. If it were up to other nobles then perhaps the girl would not be so fortunate."
"Yeah about that…" Jonathan chuckled. "There is one factor that you are missing, something that you are very wrong Edmund. I think perhaps my good friend Lucia over here shall kindly elaborate."
All eyes are now on the blonde voluptuous beauty, a grin forming on her facial features as she stood with the utmost integrity with posture unyielding.
"I believe that all of you have been forgetting me, focusing solely right on the very conversation hehehe. Anyways, yes the name's Lucia Mayfield and all, cousin and guardian of this sassy brat over here." Lucia grinned playfully.
A twitch mark formed on Rin's head.
"But is that really there it is to it all? Very well, allow me to correct you Mr. Edmund Von'laden." Lucia smirked as she patted Rin's back. "I Lucia Mayfield and by extension, my relative, Rina Mayfield, we are by no means commoners as what you insistently call us."
"We aren't?" Rin questioned the woman but all he gets is a pinch on his shoulders as Rin winced comically in pain. As he eyed Lucia, the woman merely gave him a look of assurance, saying that just to trust and leave everything to her.
"What are you playing at woman?!" Edmund simply scoffs at the blonde's ridiculous statement.
"You heard us right Von'laden. Tell me, have you heard on the new biological project that Erendal Inc. had been working at?" Lucia said.
Edmund failing to see how all of this involved could not fathom at what Lucia is saying.
Although, he could not help but be surprised at how this woman knows about the inner workings that concern the company.
But for the sake of entertainment and her pathetic attempts to delaying the inevitable, the noble decided to humor her.
"Project Green." Edmund answered with a smug look. "The initiative where our company utilizes advance technology in furthering our advances in the medical and technological field with the innovations of a brand new plant that they discovered within a hidden place in one of the provinces of China."
"Ah, I remember Father mentioning that!!" Jonathan grinned as he joined the talk. "A team of researchers led by a distinguished old noble who is also an esteemed doctor in the field of Plant Science. Sadly, the old man retired shortly after but he passed his work to someone trustworthy… ah, his daughter yes!! Hmm, yeah, what was the name of the old man again?"
"That project huh." Edmund nodded. "The esteemed doctor's name, hmm… yes if my memory serves me right then his name is Leonard…"
Edmund suddenly froze on the spot, his body now seen to be trembling as at recalling the doctor's name.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" Erica beside him voiced out in concern for her father who now is in a state of a nervous wreck.
Edmund could not believe this, at how stupid he is!! How he instigated this situation, hoping to shift the tides to his cause and prove that the Von'laden will come on top of this!!
It seems that the table has finally turned for Rin and company as Edmund now recalled the name of the doctor all too well.
"What's wrong Von'laden?" Lucia smirked arrogantly as she eyed the man in utmost superiority. "Where was the bravado that you were putting up at earlier? Don't tell me that it was all just an act?"
Edmund Von'laden, a noble of the esteemed Von'laden family. But even nobles have their own hierarchy system within them base on their achievements, status and wealth.
The doctor being mentioned is in fact way more powerful and held in high regard than even to the likes of him due to the doctor's contributions in the botany, medical, and a lot of fields that tremendously benefited the entire Kingdom to advancement!!
A doctor that shares something very similar to the blonde woman in front of him as Edmund could not do anything but now be at Lucia's utter mercy.
"So it is you…" Edmund was now eyeing her in extreme caution. "The one who the good doctor has entrusted the project with."
"Yep!!" Lucia grinned as she once again introduced herself but this time with a grace of someone who holds the highest of etiquette in the social ladder, devoid of the wackiness that she has been demonstrating earlier as she bow down in curtsy.
"My name is Lucia Mayfield, the one and only daughter of Leonard Mayfield, the new head of Erendal Inc. Botany Department and of course by extension… Project Green."