Mila Neumann, a first-year student, had come a long way from Munich. The move hadn’t been easy, but when she passed the entrance exams, she wasted no time packing her things and settling in Berlin to pursue her higher education.
Truthfully, internships weren’t her priority at the moment. Being a first-year in the final months of the semester, she knew her focus should be on her studies.
Still, this was an opportunity she couldn’t just ignore. Establishing a connection with the people of the Schneider Group could open doors far beyond what the university could offer.
What kind of people had Michael gotten himself involved with?
He was truly exceptional.
Even now, after a full year of not seeing each other, he was still doing her favors. The thought made Mila smile.
The first thing Mila did was bow her head deeply before them.
"I’m so sorry if I came across as arrogant! Please, forgive me!"
The room fell silent for a brief moment, and Mila could feel their pairs of eyes on her. Her heart pounded so loudly she swore they could all hear it.
Now that she thought about it, the whole situation was strange.
A group claiming to be a small start-up had somehow managed to reserve one of the university’s private conference halls. Something even major firms struggled to do without months of approval. But then again, they weren’t just any start-up.
They were backed by the Schneider Group.
Mila corrected her posture, though her hands still trembled at her sides. This level of formality wasn’t what she had expected. And honestly, this setup still felt humble for a group with the Schneider name attached.
In fact, they deserved a university-wide event, not just a modest interview hall.
"Miss Neumann?"
Mila froze. The voice came from across the table. She looked up to see Isolde, the woman leading the interview, watching her with curious eyes.
"Y-Yes?" Mila replied quickly, straightening her back.
Isolde gave her a reassuring smile. The tension in the room began to soften little by little. Once the atmosphere had settled, Isolde spoke again.
"You mentioned earlier that you’d do anything to get into Dream," she said. "However, I want to make it clear that we have no affiliation with Dream at all."
Mila nodded rapidly. "Y-Yes, of course! Okay!"
"Good. Firstly—"
"Why are you here?" Julius interrupted suddenly.
"Ah? Y-You told me to include myself in the list of prospects. I’m here to offer what I can do—"
"Yes, but you didn’t seem all that interested. Miss Neumann, why should we hire someone like you, who only added her name to a list we requested without even trying to reach out properly?"
"...."
He wasn’t wrong. Julius had expected Mila to call or send a message after she had been shortlisted. Yet, when he checked the file she submitted, there was only her name. No number, no email, no indication of her course or specialization, nothing but a name on a blank page.
To Julius, it wasn’t just an oversight, but disrespectful. Julius had hoped she would at least show a hint of initiative, but instead, she made it look as if she didn’t care.
Mila swallowed hard. "I... I just thought my submission was enough. I didn’t mean to come across that way..."
Julius sighed. "At least find a better excuse. We appreciate that you provided us with the list of students and their backgrounds, but that’s as far as your contribution goes."
He looked at her directly.
"We’ll compensate you for your effort, but we’re not interested in hiring someone who isn’t interested in us."
"Ah..."
Mila’s heart sank. She wanted to speak and explain herself, but it was impossible under Julius’s cold gaze.
Julius turned his attention back to the papers on the table, signaling that the conversation was over.
"You may take your leave now, Miss Neumann."
"...Yes."
When Mila left the room, Isolde turned to Julius and said,"Mister Schneider, I think you were too harsh on the girl."
"You’re just too soft, Doctor. If you don’t know when to be aggressive, they’ll walk all over you. You’re worth more than that."
"She’s still a student—"
"That’s why this is a learning experience for her. If she wants to stand in this industry, she needs to understand that effort alone doesn’t make her special. The world won’t wait for her to figure that out. It doesn’t matter if she’s at the top of her class if she has an attitude like that."
"...I guess so."
"I worry for you, Doctor. If you keep being nice like that, then one day, you’ll—" Julius stopped himself.
Surely, her naivety had been a factor in her death.
But Julius intended to prevent that.
* * *
"So, how many do you plan on employing, Doctor?" Julius asked as he started the car.
Isolde, seated beside him in the passenger seat, replied, "Perhaps two, maybe three, for a trial run. Do you have anyone in mind you’d like to bring in, Mister Schneider?"
Julius kept his eyes on the road. "I don’t really know. My understanding of magi-tech only goes so far. I’m not sure how to judge whether a prospect is good or not, so I’ll leave that to you, Doctor."
He wasn’t exaggerating. Julius couldn’t tell who was actually capable just by looking at grades and certificates. The list of awards, competitions, and published papers was all indistinguishable in his eyes.
He didn’t even know what half of those contests were about, let alone the technical jargon in their research abstracts.
"Nonsense," Isolde said with a smile. "You must have your own opinion, Mister Schneider. You may have given me full autonomy, but I still consider you an equal. This is—" she paused and tapped her chin, "—a joint venture. Yes, a joint venture."
"Then... probably that guy I sent out?"
"Elias Müller?
"Yes."
The Müller family was well-known in the trade sector. The fact that Alfons had even shown up for the interview was surprising. Most likely, it wasn’t the company that drew him in, but the Schneider name.
Smaller firms wouldn’t have even dared to consider hiring someone like him. Many assumed Alfons already had his future secured within the Müller Group, and applying anywhere else was merely a formality.
"May I ask why?" Isolde said. "Didn’t you just say you’d drag his future through the mud?"
"Change of plans. I think I want to teach him a lesson."
"...Do you see yourself in him, Mister Schneider?"
"...."
Once again, Isolde had hit the mark.