The next day, Julius met with the investors. He would’ve liked to bring Isolde along, but she was finally settling into an actual break, and he refused to ruin the miracle.
If she was secretly working behind his back, then Gabriel was keeping an eye on her. Julius had assigned him the task specifically, and Gabriel had accepted it with the solemnity of a knight receiving a royal decree.
The meeting room was perched high above Tokyo. A full view of the city was fully visible. Japan, for all its quirks, never failed to impress.
Across from Julius were three investors from different corporate branches. One of them was from a major medical conglomerate. Another was from an AI integration agency. The last was a representative from a mental welfare foundation.
"Incredible," one of them said as SIBYL displayed a projection across the table, mapping the hypothetical patients’ psychological stress levels in real-time. "This is... leagues ahead of anything our researchers have attempted."
"Therapeutic chatbots often pretended to approximate this kind of analysis, but this... this is different. It’s as if it cuts straight through the human psyche and lays out the neural conditions... Impressive..."
Julius nodded, watching the synchronized holograms reflect across their faces.
"Yes," he said. "SIBYL doesn’t guess, but evaluates. Moreover, it doesn’t rely on recycled patterns or outdated behavioral templates. It responds only to what is present and what the mind displays in that moment."
He gestured toward the projection as it rearranged itself into a layered chart of emotional responses.
"It analyzes the subconscious cues your average system overlooks. SIBYL reads those like text on a page. That is why its assessments are vastly more accurate than anything the market currently offers."
"And this module?" a third investor asked.
"That is the predictive echo system. It simulates how a patient will react to certain stressors or healing processes. In simpler terms, it allows therapists to treat causes, not symptoms."
"Wow..."
"...This could redefine intervention models," the first investor murmured. "If we integrate this into our hospitals—"
"You won’t integrate it," Julius cut in. "You will partner with us so we can implement it properly. SIBYL is not a tool to be mishandled."
They exchanged glances, intimidated by Julius’s tone.
The lead investor cleared his throat. "Of course. A partnership would be ideal. We are prepared to make a formal offer."
Julius crossed his hands together. "Very well. I will review your proposals once my staff consolidates them. Doctor Isolde Heinrich will oversee all medical applications, so expect communication from her branch as well."
At the mention of Isolde’s name, they perked with interest.
"We’ve heard of her work," one said. "A brilliant mind."
’Overworked mind.’ Julius thought, but didn’t voice it out, and just nodded.
The meeting proceeded smoothly. By the time it ended, Julius had secured everything he came here for. More or less, a SIBYL branch in Japan was now next in line for development.
Truth be told, it wasn’t surprising that Japan showed such interest. Their rapid evolution into a hyper-advanced society had not been purely a result of innovation or cultural flair, but a necessity.
As beautiful as Japan was to tourists, its citizens lived in an entirely different world.
Japan’s psychological stressors had been among the highest in the developed world, even in the early twenty-first century. Overwork culture had been ingrained in their society for decades.
Even with policies introduced over the years, the culture itself had been slow to change. Many still feared disappointing their companies more than disappointing their families.
Birth rates continued to plummet through the decades as younger generations refused to bring children into an environment where they themselves felt suffocated. Social isolation became common as people retreated into digital spaces, finding comfort in anonymity rather than connection.
By the twenty-second century, Japan had become a technological paradise... and a psychological wasteland.
It was no wonder they needed SIBYL. And it was precisely why Julius decided to target this specific demographic first in his expansion project.
Julius headed for the parking lot where the driver was waiting and entered the back seat. The city lights outside blurred into streams as the car drove away from the building.
He loosened his tie and took a breath, letting the tension of the meeting drain out of his shoulders.
"Doctor and Anne should be at the pavilion by now," Julius murmured to himself, gazing out the window. "Hopefully she didn’t run off to check emails..."
The driver gave no response.
He frowned. Their assigned drivers were polite to a fault. Even the most stoic ones always acknowledged him with a respectful "Yes, sir,"
Julius narrowed his eyes. "Driver, where are we headed?"
"...."
The car made an obviously different turn instead of the usual right toward the pavilion district.
"So that’s how it is."
Julius merely sighed. Of all the things he expected Japan to throw at him, a kidnapping still ranked somewhere near the top. However, he didn’t panic and let the driver continue whatever elaborate plan they thought they were executing.
Through the rearview mirror, several vans were following from a safe distance, forming a neat little formation behind them.
Julius breathed out a sigh through his nose and turned his gaze to the passing scenery.
By now, kidnappings had become a mundane occurrence for anyone with Schneider blood. It stopped being frightening by the time he turned sixteen.
At this point, the only real question was which faction had the audacity to try it this week, and whether or not they would manage to keep him in one place long enough to explain what they wanted.
He rested his chin on his hand, watching the neon signs pass by.
"Of all days," he said. "I finally take a vacation and someone thinks today is the day to be ambitious."
Julius frowned.
"Driver," he continued, "before we continue this little adventure, answer me one thing."
Julius’s eyes locked onto the driver’s.
"Who sent you?"
"...."
But there was no response.