At this point, Eden hadn't yet developed that later habit of drunkenly forcing extravagant gifts onto others, so she didn't feel like she was being swindled by some shady capitalist who ought to be strung up from a lamppost.
In her eyes, Durandal wasn't just helping her cover the breach-of-contract fees—she was also funding the establishment of an entire corporate group specifically for her.
It seemed Durandal had even looked into her aspirations beyond singing, like acting, modeling, fashion, and advertising design…
Honestly, Eden was starting to wonder, 'Was I just… taken in as a kept woman?'
But that didn't seem quite right either…
After all, kept women were usually tucked away in villas like canaries in gilded cages. It was rare for their "sponsors" to actively help them build careers.
Even if they did offer help, it'd usually stop at buying songs or pulling strings to get them into film crews—who went as far as setting up an entire company?
Most importantly, Eden thought that if someone really wanted a kept woman… her type couldn't possibly compare to that charming, delicate young lady sitting beside Durandal.
It wasn't that Eden lacked self-esteem—it's just that her looks and aura leaned more toward the mature and dignified kind.
She usually attracted not sugar daddies, but younger guys with a thing for older sisters—the puppy-dog type.
In just half a year since her debut, she'd already lost count of how many of those "puppies" she'd turned down.
And though Durandal could be described as "young," she struck Eden as more of the "wolfish" type—the kind who'd probably prefer someone like Elysia.
So, after turning it over in her mind, Eden concluded that Durandal must genuinely appreciate her talent and want to provide her a stage to shine.
She'd found her patron!
As for all that talk about her excellent Honkai adaptability and potential to become a great warrior… Eden just took it as a pleasantry—something Durandal said to help her feel more at ease about joining the Flame-Chasers and accepting the investment.
"Since you've shown such sincerity, Miss Durandal, I'll graciously accept your offer."
Eden set down the documents in her hands and looked at Durandal, as if waiting for something.
Then, several minutes passed—
Durandal: ?
Eden: ??
"Ahem, isn't there some kind of ceremony for joining the Flame-Chasers? Or… a contract to sign?"
Not seeing the step she'd expected, Eden gave a light cough as a reminder.
Durandal: "…"
Meanwhile, Elysia, sitting to the side, was already grinning, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
She realized that dealing with Durandal didn't require her usual playful antics—someone as straightforward as Eden was far more effective!
Noticing Elysia's reaction, Eden seemed to catch on and quickly bowed slightly.
"My apologies, I didn't know…"
Durandal waved her hand, shot a glance at Elysia, and then explained, "What you mentioned is a valid point, Miss Eden."
"However, you might not be fully aware—our Flame-Chasers organization currently has only three official members, just one of whom handles management."
"We haven't even settled on an official name yet. Many of our rules, including initiation ceremonies, are still… lacking in structure. So…"
Durandal spread her hands, signaling that, under the circumstances, she could only shrug and go with the flow.
"Then… what about establishing the corporate group?"
Eden was starting to feel like she might have been sold a lie.
Fortunately, Durandal's reply set her mind at ease.
"No need to worry about that, Miss Eden. Our organization currently has several hundred million usd in liquid funds. We have enough to establish the group and staff it with all the necessary personnel."
Starting a company was such a novelty these days—the registered capital amount was mostly for show anyway, since you didn't actually need to put up that much money.
Meanwhile, Connie, slaving away miserably outside, suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of dread, as if someone had just set their sights on her wallet again.
Truth be told, the initial investment in Eden would probably cost around a hundred million dollars to fully arrange, but the returns in the later stages… tsk, there was no telling how high they'd go.
Durandal was absolutely certain that, faced with Eden's future success, that company that had let her go over a bit of media pressure and breach penalties would be green with regret!
"In that case…"
Eden spoke up suddenly, "What you said to me last night in the stadium's backstage lounge—'Fight for all that is beautiful in the world'—is that the motto of the Flame-Chasers?"
"Since the organization is still in its early stages, I believe I might offer some preliminary suggestions."
"For example, the overall image design—including the organization's name, logo, member uniforms, public branding, and so on—could all revolve around that motto. What do you think?"
Just as Durandal was about to nod, she saw Elysia zip right over, plop down beside Eden, take her hand, and sparkle with excitement:
"Oh, Eden~? I knew inviting you to join was the right call!"
"Unlike a certain someone, who's been at it for over half a month without even settling on an official name. Honestly, it's got me thinking maybe I should just turn around and head back to Fire Moth after all~?"
Eden: ?
Durandal: ??
That's not what you said last night!
But Elysia paid no mind to their bewildered expressions and kept chatting with Eden, "About the organization's image design, Eden, I think we should really emphasize the 'beautiful girl' element?"
"Look, all our current members, including Connie whom you've met before, share one common trait—we're all gorgeous, right~?"
"So, our organization's name, logo, uniform designs, and public image should all lean into that. If you ask me, the color that best captures the essence of beautiful girls is definitely a lovely pink, just like my gorgeous hair~♪ What do you think?"
Eden shot a helpless look toward Durandal.
She didn't exactly mind Elysia's sudden closeness—in fact, she'd liked this lively, sweet girl from the start—but Eden was naturally slow to warm up, and with her limited life experience, she found Elysia's enthusiasm a bit overwhelming.
Give it a few years, though, and Eden would probably have pulled out a bottle of fine wine and, over drinks, worked out a feasible plan with Elysia in no time.
"E–ly–si–a!"
Durandal smiled kindly, walked over to Eden's side, and dragged a certain someone out of the meeting room.
Before leaving, Durandal leaned back in and added, "Regarding the organization's image design, let's treat it as the first official project commissioned by the Flame-Chasers to the advertising agency we'll establish."
"I'll have Connie set up a basic framework for you as soon as possible."
With that, Durandal took Elysia and left.
Hearing this, Eden also got up and went to find Connie.
After confirming all the promises Durandal had made earlier, Eden noticed Connie's pained expression and her mumbling about needing to hire twenty assistants.
Curious, Eden suddenly asked, "Connie, do you know what the relationship between Miss Durandal and Miss Elysia is?"
Connie: "Now that's something I can stay awake for!"
And so, Connie launched into the story, starting from that suggestive morning she'd accidentally walked in on—
--+--