Chapter 9: Restoring Calm

Kingdom Earth, cave fourteen, El-Eden's capitol cave.

At the three hundredth and seventy second floor, the top floor, of a crystal like executive building a red headed middle age woman wearing a golden white suit and white high heels, waited impatiently next to a close door.

The woman had a vexed facial expression and could not bear sitting on the lavish seats and waiting at the same time, as the middle age male secretary politely suggested her.

Watching the woman's nonstop pacing from one side of the door to the other, getting irritated with each passing minute, behind his desk, the middle age secretary made his utmost to act invisible.

This secretary's experience in his vocation was top notch. He was aware of every decision that came out from the office the woman was waiting to enter and from the moment he saw her exiting the elevator, he could tell not just who she is, but why she arrived. As for her temperament ... it was so apparent that, upon seeing the red headed woman, even the greenness secretary would be able to assess and know how to conduct himself with her.

Hence, when the woman asked to see the person behind the closed door, despite her not making an appointment, the middle age secretary courteously offered her to sit while he will see what he can do.

Since then, over an hour had passed and the previously tranquil atmosphere of the floor transformed to suffocating sedateness.

Suddenly the middle age secretary's eyes shone brightly as a message appeared in the screen of the office's Caller on his desk.

"Send her in"

Those three words were like a boon from the Supreme Rulers themselves.

The middle age secretary got up from his seat, attracting the attention of the woman as he approached her.

Opening the door to the office on the other side, the middle age slightly bowed. "Please enter, Don Ram".

The red headed woman, who was none other than Eden Formation's school principal, Don Dauch, coldly walked in as the door behind her closed.

The office room atop the three hundredth and seventy second floor was spacious, yet very humble in compassion to the building it was part of.

A sewn carpet was spread at the center of the metallic floor. Against the left and right walls were a steel cart with thick books and a stand with clean glasses and three liquor bottles.

Welcoming Don into the office was a tall, slanted eyes middle age man with short black hair, wearing a dark blue suit. He leaned against a one legged desk, behind it was an ergonomic chair and a one way glass wall that viewed over the upscale vicinity.

"Well, Don, since you came here without letting my secretary know, aren't you going to greet me first?" The man asked in a solemn voice while being completely leisurely.

"Eden formation's school principal, Don Dauch, thank you for seeing me in such a short notice, chairman of the school board, Marksim Dauch". Don said with humility, emanating indulgence, presenting an entirely opposite front than the one she had outside of the office. "For avoiding me for the last couple of days and making me wait almost two hours after I catch you in your office, all because you were dilly dallying, feeling apprehensive from seeing me after going around my back to take control over a matter I personally dealt with, and had yet to incorporate to the school, I, Don Dauch, greet twice, thrice and extremely impressed with school board's chairman's nerves". In a blink, Don's mannerism flared, and her tongue teased and stung as a spiteful countenance stared daggers at Marksim. "Was my greeting to your liking, elder cousin?" She asked with her chin raised high.

Her cousin was a second level Core Master, just like her. In terms of cultivations, he was a bit faster and a phase above her, but with regards to proficiency in formations, the Dauch family's specialty, he was inferior to her. In the family's enterprise, as the chairman of Eden Formation's school board, Marksim had a slightly higher position than Don, but she never permitted him to hold it above her head.

Disregarding Don's sarcasm, Marksim turned his back to her, sighing to the one way glass wall and moved on to the ergonomic chair before facing Don again with a humorless mien.

Goading her to greet him was merely to test the water of how severe was her mood. Of course, he was already prepared for the worst, in a way he brought it upon himself. To make matters even more worse, due to the four and a half hours essential exchange he had over the Caller, he made her wait with her anger boiling, before allowing her in. Still, if there was a chance to avoid an argument with an immediate family member such as Don, Marksim would have gladly taken it instead of flattering his vanity and letting it pass.

With his better understand of Don's current temperament, Marksim made his choice of selecting in which manner to conduct this engagement. In this particular case, he heaved a sigh of languishment for he knew that being familial will debilitate his stance.

"Perfectly fine". Marksim retorted. "Now, would you please take a seat". He gestured across his desk to the two white chairs.

"Now, now, cousin, my legs are not as feeble as yours". Don snorted. "I'll stand".

'Bitch!' Marksim cursed. 'If entertainment before business you seek... ' He loved his cousin and believed that on some Sun Stone stormy days she also tolerantly thought of him, but because of the correlation in their jobs and positions, conflicts between the two infrequently occurred, which caused instantaneous frictions.

"Please, Don, you came here uncoordinated with my schedule. I will appreciate it if you, at least, manage your wild temper so we would be able to discuss with even minds whatever making you grumble". Marksim leaned forward, almost reaching to the other side of the desk with his gesturing hand, making his request even more sincere.

'Tenacious ass!' With a delicate smile Don accepted the chair. "If cousin can't stand the sight of an imposing woman, I won't make it difficult for you". She sat down, looking as comfortably as a queen on the ruler's throne.

'Not make it difficult for me? What about the shitload of men you scare every night in their dreams?' Marksim inhaled in wonder. "Don't speak nonsense, Don, although not exactly on time, my doors are always open for you. And in my office, please, be as comfy as you can, whether it is by standing or sitting on a broo- excuse me ... chair". He hurriedly corrected himself with a straight face, not showing a hint of apology or cynically, just acting as if it was an honest mistake.

'Very good ... If you care so little for your office, I don't mind being a tad rougher... '

CRACK!

Don applied a bit of force and the steel legs of the chair she sat on fractured the metallic floor.

"Oh, my! Cousin, is your pitiful looking decor made for children? It breaks so easily over an adult weight!" Don put her hand to her mouth, feigning astonishment and modesty while covering an apparent belittling smile.

'No, no, no, no, no, sweet cousin, it is your fat ass that is the problem'. Marksim had to actually bit his tongue in order to prevent himself from speaking these words outloud. "Don, I assume you came here with a real issue on your mind and not just to share pleasantries, please don't hold it back anymore". Since they were on his turf, Marksim was worried that if they will continue this arduous game there will not by a turf for him to have. As for the said issue, though he already knew what it was about, he refrained from addressing it before Don. Otherwise, will it not be the same as recognizing the mistake Don blames him for?

Don puckered her brows. Finally getting serious and to the point. "Marksim, what went inside your bloated when you decided to misuse your position to snatch the reins in this matter that I handled on my own?!"

"I'm sorry, Don, but I have truly did not do nothing wrong". Marksim gave her equally stern stare.

"Marksim, what being obstinate will help you?" Don pressed her lips together after asking. Opening them again before Marksim could answer, she said. " ... Fine, if you insist for me to be blunt, then I will".

"Here is a series of questions for you ... Why did you release the information connecting one of our students to the Derneldar family's incident? Recurring Zax Zel was my initiative, what made you think that you can interfere? Now that practically anyone and everyone in Kingdom Earth know that we are backing an individual, which destroyed a great family, one of our biggest donors, who is supposed to handle the criticism of the other high class families that donate to the school? Can you comprehend the mess that would occur if someone will snoop around the school and its last events and discover Zax's identity? You even went and announced that we picked a seeded candidate, do you think that the other two schools and great families will turn blind eyes toward this statement?!"