It seems that his defeat three days ago didn't sit well with Flack because while Alexei, Rio, Opal, Quant, and Rasheed are having a practice match against a team from the relegation section of the competition, Key received a solo challenge invite from Flack.
This time it's a solo, no longer just a test on which one of them is the better off-laner, but a competition on who's the better player.
"I'm done for this morning, can I train later this afternoon while streaming?" Key told Bright, although it's a question, the intonation of her voice delivered it as if it's an order
"That's okay," Bright replied and Key nodded
Because of the recent incident with Palomas Negras, and the loophole in the non-disclosure agreement that the opponent took advantage of, Dewy insisted to the management that they must discuss the contents of the agreement with the team before signing.
The management of course found this odd because even Rasheed declined to play the practice match unless they discuss the clauses included in the agreement, and they had no choice but to fill the team's request when all of the JLNC players insisted to know the clauses first.
Fortunately, the clauses were very direct to the point despite being created by the other party, and Key didn't see any detrimental loophole so the signing proceeded well.
"You're going out?" El asked Key when she stood up
"No, I'll just take my laptop from upstairs." Key replied and smiled
She went up to her room and took her laptop.
A day before, the day after she beat Flack in a match, Chela contacted her, asking if she's planning on settling down in New Yastrid, or in one of the states in North Hirea, while she's practicing law, should she get bored of the E-sport Industry.
[You know, I'm still wondering why that Ivy League University has an Arasian name,] Chela told her over the phone when she reminded her that she can't practice law in New Yastrid because she graduated from the Faculty of Law, Okksufudu University in Angliae.
Key started to explain to Chela, who obviously only wanted to talk to her longer that's why she asked about the University's name, that when Japatrein tried to colonize the whole Euroxien after embracing the western influence in their country after Portogallo colonized them, they headed to Angliae first.
Their colonization attempt was reflected in one of the Ivy League Universities in Angliae that retained its Japatrein-given name, as it was also one of the first Universities in Euroxien to have non-Xiean students as its first alumni.
[Then, were you there when the colonization happened?] Chela asked with an expression that Key is figuring out is genuinely curious or is already teasing her
"Of course not, I wasn't anywhere in Angliae when it happened." Key replied and shook her head
[Huh, really, you weren't here?] Chela seem so surprised that it made Key's brows furrow
"Have you forgotten that I am of Itarian-descent? I was adopted into Gallia after I turned biologically eighteen, and that was about a millennium ago." Key said
[Huh, just a millennium ago? I thought you're already a hundred million years old or so.] Chela said nonchalantly making Key chuckle in amusement
"You're overestimating then," Key said and Chela shrugged her shoulders
[Well, you sometimes act as if you're in the ancient period.] Chela teased her and Key chuckled
From the talk about why the university's name sounds Arasian, their conversation headed to Key's biological age, and then it lead to other trivial things that Key would usually not pay attention to, but realizing that this sister of hers seems to have a lot of time to chitchat with her, she didn't ask about her work.
They continued talking before Key had to excuse herself after Chela remembered that she still has to train, and after she finished her training yesterday, she received a message from 'their brother' that Chela had just arrived in Angliae.
She brought her laptop bag to the living room and opened the game, and while waiting for it to load, she received a notification about receiving an email in her Kashmiri account.
She opened it and she couldn't help but chuckle when they were emails from Flack, asking her if she's now scared to do a solo.
It's the usual bravado coming from Flack that Key no longer feels anything while reading his messages, but one sentence took her interest, he asked her to meet with her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
She had to close the game again and shut her laptop down before putting it in the bag.
"Dewy," Key approached Dewy
"Hmm, what's up?" Dewy asked her
"Ah, can I go out for a bit? I'll be back in an hour and a half or so." Key said and smiled
"Do you have someone to meet with?" Dewy asked because Key is grasping her phone
"Kind of like that, kind of mandatory too," Key grimaced and Dewy chuckled
"You don't seem interested in meeting with that person though," El commented
"I really am not, El, if it won't affect some of my plans, I won't," Key said
"Sure, just be back early," Dewy said and Key nodded
"You should, the captain is watching you after that one time you drank out," El said and Key chuckled
"That was months ago though, I'll go ahead then," Key said and left the place with only her phone
She didn't bother changing her clothes, she kept her simple white t-shirt, and red cotton pants, and changed into her red rubber shoes.
She went out to the subdivision's gate after contacting a taxi driver through the travel app on her phone, before she placed her phone in the laptop bag.
She asked the driver to drive her to the address that Flack sent, and when she arrived, she sent a message to Flack saying she's there.
"You actually came here alone, huh?" Flack commented when he met with her
"We're the ones playing, why should I bring someone else?" Key replied with her officious attitude
"That attitude of yours…" Flack gritted his teeth and Key tilted her head irritating him even more
"Let's go," he said and led her in
Inside, there are two men wearing suits.
She assumed they are corporate lawyers from Dominant Rooks.
"Wow, I didn't know you brought back-ups, Flack," Key said and shook her head
"Shut up, they are the company's lawyers," Flack replied confirming Key's assumption
"Ah, you're here under your company's orders, huh?" Key asked and sat on a couch
"Shouldn't we begin now?" Key asked while looking at them and Flack sat on the other side
"You didn't bring anyone with you?" Key looked at the man who had just arrived and recognized him as the coach of Dominant Rooks
"No," Key shook her head while answering and put down her mask
"This is going to take longer then," said one of the men in suits
"I'm afraid I can't stay that long," Key shook her head while speaking
"Huh, what are you, a kid?" Flack said and Key glared at him
"I am not a kid, and if you're worried I won't understand legal terms, rest assured I will." Key said
"Alright then, let's begin." The other man wearing a suit said
They started discussing the non-disclosure agreement and the corporate lawyers for Dominant Rooks were dumbfounded when they didn't receive a single question asking them to explain a legal term because they had to explain every clause to the members of Dominant Rooks several times for them to understand it.
Even the coach and Flack were dumbfounded when Key even communicated with the lawyers using some terms that they couldn't understand.
"What did she just ask you to do?" Flack asked in confusion
"Ah, I just asked them to revise some clauses for the final drafting," Key replied with a smile
"And that is?" Flack asked
"I asked them to include in the clauses that neither of us is allowed to tell anything to our teammates unless both of our managements talked and agreed about lifting that clause." Key said
"Are you sure that's alright with you?" the coach suddenly asked because something doesn't feel right with this girl in front of them
"I'm the one who suggested it, aren't I?" Key asked with a playful smile
"First of all, aren't you breaking that clause yourself? For sure you talked to everyone about the match and you're planning something that's why you said that." Flack said and Key chuckled
"I didn't, I just said I coincidentally played with someone with the same username as you, and then I said I was just going out when I asked for permission to leave the base." Key replied
"Then how do you know all of that?" Flack asked
"I graduated law," Key replied with her sweet smile covering her deigning tone, and her straightforward words left them dumbfounded
The coach's gut feeling that something is wrong intensified but they can't pull back, there are four of them right now and she's alone, leaving would mean that they're intimidated by a girl.
"No way," Flack scoffed
"I won't persuade you but try checking Angliae's board passer for my name," Key replied
"Never mind, let's proceed with the signing," Flack said
"Are you sure that you're not going to ask anyone to serve as a witness on your side?" the corporate lawyer from Dominant Rooks couldn't help but ask because they're starting to feel like something's wrong
"Can an upperclassman suffice?" Key asked and they were surprised
"Someone who can understand what's here will do," Flack wanted to get this over with so he agreed
With Flack's words, Key knew just who she can call and she called Veganca via video call.
[What a surprise, what made you call?] Veganca asked as soon as he answered
"Can you stand witness for a contract signing, I came alone." Key said and Veganca chuckled
[That's very you, but sure,] he replied and she turned the camera