The natural course of action was that the exceptional students, the ones already receiving offers, would likely turn down a personal invitation right away. For them, sending an email would suffice.
But for those who hadn’t caught the attention of major companies, a personal meeting was still a possibility.
Julius planned for both outcomes. The first group would require tact and subtlety, the second would need persuasion. Either way, he intended to find the right people.
"Two, perhaps," Isolde replied after a moment of thought. "It’s not that I doubt their skills, but this university gives me the impression of elitism."
Julius glanced at her. "Elitism?"
"Yes. You can see it in how they carry themselves. Most of these kids already think they’re above everyone else. It’s not arrogance exactly, more like a subtle certainty that the world owes them success."
"Are you worried they’d just look down on you?"
"I won’t deny it," Isolde said. "People like that have a certain way of talking, you know? Just like that kid from earlier. She tried her best to sound polite, but to me, she just sounded condescending. I’ve met enough of them in my previous workplaces to recognize it immediately."
"So... was this a bad idea?"
"No, not at all," she replied. "I’m here because I took your suggestion seriously, Mister Schneider. Don’t worry."
Isolde tried to reassure him, but Julius barely needed it. Truthfully, he wasn’t the type to doubt his decisions once they were made. If anything, he saw this as part of the process.
To build something worthwhile, suggestions had to flow both ways, even from the people working under him.
He had intended to give Isolde free rein with SIBYL, letting her handle the groundwork as long as the system itself remained under his authority. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized how wasteful that would be.
If managed properly, SIBYL could become big enough to rival Dream Industries itself.
No, he would ensure that would happen.
Nonetheless, the interviews began.
"The S-Schneider Group?!"
All it took was one look at the business card for the boy in front of them to nearly jump out of his seat.
He was wearing glasses and had the jittery energy of someone trying too hard to look professional. He introduced himself as Max, a fourth-year magi-tech engineering student.
"Yes," Isolde said with a polite smile. "We’re conducting preliminary interviews for a new division under the Schneider Group. You were referred to us as an excellent prospect."
Max adjusted his glasses nervously. "I—I wasn’t expecting something like this. I thought this was just for a small research internship."
"Think of it as an opportunity," Isolde replied. "We’re looking for people who can handle advanced development in both magic and tech integration. If you’re as capable as your grades suggest, then this shouldn’t intimidate you."
Max swallowed hard, doing his best to keep his excitement contained. "N-no, ma’am. Of course not! I just... I never thought I’d be sitting in front of the Schneider Group."
Julius watched him closely. The boy’s enthusiasm was genuine, but it was better than the arrogance they’d expected to encounter here. Still, it wasn’t exactly surprising. The moment they showed the business cards, reactions like this were inevitable.
No matter how confident or highly sought after a student was, no one took an offer from the Schneider Group lightly. Even a small division under its name had more importance than most established firms could dream of.
And as far as Julius could tell, Max wasn’t one of those top students with multiple offers lined up. He was likely among the capable few who had been overlooked by the larger companies.
First, Max presented his résumé.
Isolde took it and gave it a quick skim while Julius scanned the first page. The layout was neat and organized, though it was clear he lacked professional experience.
Still, it showed promise.
"I see," Julius said, sitting back. "You’ve got potential. You just lack the resources to prove it."
"...Y-yes, sir," Max said, looking dejected. "Given the chance, I’m confident I can improve the process further..."
Isolde watched Julius as Max gathered his things and left the room. Once the door closed, she turned to him with a frown.
"...I think you should at least be a bit nicer, Mister Schneider."
Julius looked up from the table. "You said you were worried they’d look down on you."
"Yes?"
"So, I propose we employ the good cop, bad cop approach," Julius said. "It’s the Schneider Group. They’ll never turn it down, no matter how intimidating I seem. But that’s the point. You just need to act as the good cop, Doctor. Be nice to them, and they’ll start associating you with safety and me as the scary one. It keeps them balanced."
"That’s a terrible management style..."
"Listen," Julius said, "if they do get employed, they’re bound to find out who I am. But you, on the other hand, are not a Schneider. Given your meek appearance, they might take you for a fool."
"Ah."
It clicked for Isolde then. Julius wasn’t just being intimidating for his own amusement, but he was doing it for her.
These students, bright as they were, might easily mistake kindness for weakness. They’d try to please Julius simply because of his name, while disregarding her authority entirely.
But if Julius made it clear that even he listened to her, they would be forced to treat her with the same respect.
She understood now. He wasn’t undermining her, but was building her up.
"S-Schneider Group?! L-Like D-Dream Industries?!" one of the students stammered, his voice cracking as he pointed at the logo on the card.
"Something like that," Isolde said.
"T-Then, is this a subsidiary of Dream Industries?!"
"Not quite," Isolde clarified. "Currently, the youngest, Julius Sebastian Schneider, intends to establish his own faction. You could say this is an entirely separate company, but with the Schneider Group’s full backing."
"Ah, I see..."
The change in tone didn’t surprise Isolde. It was understandable. For most of these students, the Schneider Group represented power in the magi-tech industry.
But hearing that this was a new company likely made them hesitate.
Still, transparency was important. They weren’t here to deceive anyone.
"Thank you for taking the interview."
"Thank you for the offer. Please, give me a call."
The next few interviews followed in quick succession. Some students were shy and cautious, while others walked in with an air of arrogance.
Throughout each meeting, they employed the good cop, bad cop approach. Most of the students were intimidated by Julius, often glancing toward Isolde for reassurance.
However, those who came from privileged backgrounds were often the most challenging to deal with.
"So, this company. What exactly do you intend to develop? I understand it has the Schneider Group’s backing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll succeed like Dream. From what I’ve heard, the youngest son hasn’t exactly made a name for himself in the magi-tech industry."
"...."
Julius’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. He forced himself to remain composed, holding back the urge to respond too quickly. His disguise would mean nothing if he couldn’t control his temper.
Isolde noticed the tension immediately and intervened. "We appreciate your honesty. But success isn’t only measured by reputation, is it?"
The student smirked. "Reputation determines opportunity, ma’am. Without it, you’re just another startup hoping for luck."
Julius’s lips twitched. "Then tell me, are you joining us to test your luck, or are you afraid you’d rather follow someone else’s?"
The student froze, clearly taken aback by the directness of the question.
"I—uh... I just meant—"
"Because if all you can see is someone else’s success, then you’re already disqualified. We’re not building Dream Industries. We’re building what comes after it."
"...."
The boy’s earlier confidence had drained from his face, replaced by uneasiness.
"What he means is that we’re looking for innovators, not imitators," Isolde interjected. "People who want to push boundaries, not hide behind existing ones."
"If you’re here to compare us to Dream, you’re in the wrong room."
"N-no, I understand... I might’ve spoken out of turn."
"Yes. Get out."
"Ah?"
"You heard me."
"B-but, sir, I didn’t mea—"
The student tried to protest, but the moment he met Julius’s gaze, the words died in his throat. His confidence drained away in seconds. He gathered his things with trembling hands and hurried out of the room, not daring to look back.
"What’s his name? Elias Müller? Yeah, I’ll make sure he never receives any offer at all. I’ll drag his future through the mud."
Isolde blinked, caught off guard. "You’re kidding."
"Does it sound like I am?"
"Mister Schneider..."
If he still kept the immaturity from his previous life, he could have made that threat a reality. The thought passed through him for a second. Truthfully, he was only half-joking.
"Who’s the next one?"
"Hello."
They both turned to the student who entered the room.
"...."
"...."
It was Mila Neumann.