Khan complied with the Headmistress' directives in the following days. He stayed put, even skipping lessons to let her handle the consequences of his fame.
That peaceful and relaxed period did wonders for Khan's injuries. His ribs healed completely, and the benefits of the rest didn't stop there. The additional free time allowed him to study more and even gave him a chance to consider his many opportunities.
Khan was overwhelmed with options. He could join any family he wanted or stick with the Global Army. He could also ignore all of that and focus on his studies. The entire political environment was within his reach. It was only waiting for his decision.
The break also helped Khan's mental state. He had gradually gotten more honest with his actions and words since his arrival in the Harbor, and that trend didn't stop. The outburst with Lucian only pushed him further in that direction. His fame was giving him a chance to be closer to himself, and he didn't refuse it.
Once the Headmistress gave the okay, Khan stuffed as many tasks as possible on the day before the weekend. He didn't want anything else to get in the way of his license, so he sacrificed an afternoon to deal with matters that had become mandatory.
The embassy opened upon Khan's arrival. Military salutes unfolded left and right as he followed a couple of soldiers through the structure's immense corridors, but he only nodded at them. The last lessons had ended quite late, so he wanted to save time to avoid finishing up way past dinnertime.
Luckily for Khan, the embassy was easy to cross due to its many specific elevators. He only had to climb two to reach the offices he sought, and the appointment set the previous day allowed him to enter them without waiting in line.
"Welcome to the Hyper-Privacy corporation," An attractive woman in her thirties donning elegant clothes welcomed Khan into her office before closing the metal door. The place was relatively small, featuring only an interactive desk and three chairs, but it didn't feel cramped.
"Captain Khan, make yourself comfortable," The woman said while pointing at one of the chairs. "I'll get to you in a moment."
Khan complied, taking his seat while the woman went to the other side of the table. The surface had multiple menus open, but she picked up a rectangular screen and a bottle before returning to Khan.
"Allow me to convey my gratitude for choosing us," The woman announced while pouring a drink and handing it to Khan. "Hyper-Privacy is glad to have such a high-profile figure as its client."
"I have yet to choose you," Khan laughed before bringing the drink to his mouth. Monica had vouched for that corporation but making it too easy for them might increase his expenses.
"Of course," The woman smiled while leaning on the desk. "Though, we are ready to satisfy your every request to get you to sign. You only have to ask."
The woman shot a charming glance at Khan while placing a hand on the surface behind her. Her stance highlighted her exquisite figure and tight short skirt, hinting that her duties could go beyond the menus.
"Ma'am," Khan called.
"Please, Captain, call me Jenny," The woman interrupted.
"Jenny," Khan corrected. "I'd like to know how this works and what advantages you can give me compared to a family."
"Families usually have private PR programs," Jenny explained. "They limit their services to their descendants. They can offer good deals to prominent outsiders, but their political neutrality is questionable."
"Isn't yours also questionable?" Khan wondered. "You are a corporation inside the Global Army in the end."
"Hyper-Privacy has multiple protocols in place," Jenny responded. "You'll receive a detailed list. Still, in short, we take the same political stances as our clients."
"What if your clients are criminals?" Khan questioned.
"Well," Jenny exclaimed, remaining strangely calm in front of that problematic question. "Hyper-Privacy can't refuse the Global Army's direct orders. If they want to learn about a client, they will. Yet, it might take them some time to gain access to everything."
Jenny's smiling expression didn't change, but Khan could read between the lines. Her mana also explained the entirety of the story, which partially reassured him.
"I find it hard to believe that you can stop the Global Army," Khan pointed out.
"We can't," Jenny stated. "We don't even try. There simply are automatic security protocols that even we can't breach."
'That sounds interesting,' Khan admitted in his mind.
"So, how does this work?" Khan repeated.
"Once you sign with us," Jenny announced, seizing the bottle on the table to refill Khan's glass, "You'll give us a list of the people allowed to contact you so we can filter out the others. We'll also sort through them and provide a weekly summary highlighting anything relevant."
"That's it?" Khan asked.
"Our summaries take the entire political environment into consideration," Jenny declared. "We give real-time stats of various families and markets while adding prospects. Captain, you wouldn't have to do personal research anymore."
"Does that include job offers?" Khan wondered.
"Job offers," Jenny confirmed, "Career advice, and even marriage proposals. If you wish, we can also tell you in which direction you should expand your profile to reach your goals more easily."
"I'm not planning on marrying for now," Khan laughed.
"If you were our client," Jenny replied, "We would agree with your decision. Your potential is too great to waste it on your current offers."
"Current offers?" Khan repeated.
"They aren't official," Jenny explained, reaching for a menu on the table to activate a few holograms. "However, we predict that twelve families will present them given the right opportunity. That number will increase in the next weeks, and you can even add to it by requesting similar offers."
Khan recognized the names on the holographic lists thanks to Monica's training. They belonged to middle-class families with little to no influence compared to Khan's classmates.
"Did you learn so much about me in a single day?" Khan questioned.
"We have kept track of your growth for years already," Jenny revealed. "Captain, you became relevant to our services since Istrone's rebellion."
'Makes sense,' Khan thought without letting any reaction reach his expression. He didn't have much influence back then, but his feats had already made him famous, which could affect part of the political environment.
"I believe the army's higher-ups won't need my authorization," Khan went back to the previous topic.
"They won't," Jenny confirmed, "But they'll still need to pass through us. You'd also receive a warning from our company in that case."
Khan had made his decision before attending that meeting, and Jenny's overall preparation confirmed it. Hyper-Privacy sounded as good as Monica had said. Khan only needed to see if he could get a discount.
"I'm interested," Khan openly admitted. "I wonder, how expensive are your services?"
"We have prepared tailor-made plans for you," Jenny's eyes lit up as she activated the rectangular device in her hand to show a series of offers. "This list already contains discounts for your rank, services, and potential. We also took the liberty to lower the price a bit more due to our desire to have you among our clients."
Khan had already looked for Hyper-Privacy's general prices, and the numbers on the list were far below them. Some plans could ask for up to five thousand Credits per month, but that was within Khan's range. After all, his finances had entered the millions.
"Our standard plan involves-," Jenny began to explain, but Khan interrupted her. "I'll take the deluxe plan."
Khan showed a shameless smile after the sudden statement, and Jenny could only feel surprised while retrieving the device. It was clear that Khan had also done his homework about Hyper-Privacy.
"Perfect!" Jenny exclaimed once she retrieved her cool. "I'll forward the application immediately. I only need your genetic signature."
Jenny hurried to the other side of the table and connected the device to show the intended forms. Khan skimmed through them before applying his thumb to the appointed spot. His signature went through in a matter of seconds, officially turning him into a client.
"Now, if I can have your attention," Jenny uttered while keeping her gaze on the desk.
"I'm sorry," Khan interrupted again while leaving his seat. "I'm actually in a hurry. Just send everything to my phone."
"But, Captain," Jenny gasped, "What about your contacts?"
"Don't you have a list of my friends already?" Khan asked.
"Yes," Jenny replied, "But you need to appoint a manager for your profile."
"Weren't you going to offer yourself for the position?" Khan laughed. "I'm fine with that."
"Oh," Jenny exclaimed as her political training kicked in and made her perform an elegant bow. "Thank you, Captain. I won't disappoint you."
"I'll hear from you at the end of the week," Khan casually said and began to turn, but Jenny suddenly reached for his hand.
"Captain, it's customary in Hyper-Privacy to celebrate every new high-profile client," Jenny stated, wearing an expression that shouted her true intentions.
"I'll have to break the tradition," Khan politely refused. "I have two more appointments today, and I'm already late."
"I understand," Jenny nodded, letting go of Khan's hand and straightening her back. "However, if you ever need me, I'm available every hour of every day. You can call me or come directly to this office."
"I'm sure we'll see each other again," Khan promised. "It was a pleasure, Jenny."
"Anytime, Captain," Jenny voiced as some disappointment spread through her mana. She had hoped for the meeting to end differently, but Khan had never given her an opening.
Jenny's behavior set a pattern that followed Khan throughout the afternoon. His next appointment involved a haircut, which two women handled as slowly as possible to fit countless tempting jokes.
The situation didn't change even when Khan met two reporters in another part of the embassy. They were both women wearing elegant and slightly revealing clothes, and their mana told Khan things that would make Monica snap.
"Captain Khan!" The two reporters exclaimed when Khan entered the isolated office. They had left their couch and stood up as a form of respect, but that couldn't impress him.
"Hi," Khan casually said while reaching for the couch in front of the two reporters. "I hope you don't mind having this interview together. I don't have time for two different appointments."
"Captain, we have already settled this in your absence," The brown-haired woman stated. "We even agreed on several questions."
"Indeed," The blond-haired woman continued. "Also, allow me to apologize in my colleague's place. The Heavenly News had no intention to insult you."
"And here I thought you hated me," Khan joked.
"On the contrary," The blonde-haired woman replied. "Captain, you are the most talked about figure in the entire Global Army. We can only adore someone like you."
"Precisely," The brown-haired woman added, "And we from the Untold Tales have always supported your growing fame. We didn't write a single negative article about you."
"I beg you to understand, Captain," The blonde-haired woman pleaded. "The Heavenly News doesn't take stances. We like to report every possible truth and give our audience a chance to make up their own mind."
"Every possible truth," The brown-haired woman scoffed. "Most are simply rumors or blatant lies."
"When was the last time the Untold Tales matched our ratings?" The blonde-haired woman asked
"Okay, enough," Khan sighed. "Let's start the interview."
"Certainly," Both women said before the brown-haired one took the lead. "Why don't we start from the beginning? How was your life in the Slums?"
"There isn't much to say," Khan stated. "I worked for food until I was old enough to enlist."
"It must have been tough," The blonde-haired woman pointed out, adding a fake concerned tone to her voice.
"Enlisting didn't make my life any easier," Khan laughed. "My profile speaks for itself."
"But you showed impressive survival skills on Istrone already," The blonde-haired woman continued. "Did you develop them in the Slums?"
'It's the power of desperation,' Khan mocked himself while giving a completely different answer. "The reports exaggerate my role during the rebellion. I had the help of many students with far better survival skills. I was only fast."
"Do you mean George Ildoo?" The brown-haired woman asked. "Madam Wildon praised him greatly in a past interview. Are her words accurate?"
"No," Khan corrected. "George is even better than what she described."
"Captain, you have such a good opinion about him," The blond-haired woman announced. "Do you plan on joining the Ildoo family in the future?"
"Let's leave my career out of this," Khan requested. "I'm not planning on joining any family for now. I'll perform a few jobs for the Harbor and review my situation once the semester ends."
"Though, you should have an idea, right?" The brown-haired woman questioned. "With your fame, even the noble families aren't too out of reach. Some say you have been invited to be their guard already."
"You should interview the nobles if you want to learn about that," Khan responded.
"Talking about rumors," The blond-haired woman exclaimed. "The entire network is flooded with clues about Miss Solodrey and you. Do you want to address them?"
"No," Khan firmly said.
"What do you mean?" The blond-haired woman gasped. "How should we interpret your refusal?"
"You shouldn't," Khan stated, "But you will anyway, so I'd rather not say anything at all."
The coldness in Khan's tone told the reporters that the time to change the topic had arrived. The two exchanged a glance, and the gesture made them opt for the main reason behind their visit.
"You must be aware of the video about your battle," The blond-haired woman uttered.
"It would be hard not to," Khan nodded.
"The Untold Tales hired experts to review it," The brown-haired woman continued, "And the results were incredible. They think you are the best third-level warrior in the history of the Global Army."
Some old teachings accumulated throughout the years popped into Khan's mind. Playing it humble could solve problems, but arrogance was necessary at times. Khan didn't like to pretend, but only truths left his mouth.
"I don't know about the best," Khan declared, "But I should be the strongest, excluding the nobles. I wouldn't be Nippe 2's monster otherwise."
The bold statement filled the two reporters with excitement, but Khan opted for a passive approach for the rest of the interview. He had only wanted to own his nickname to add some pride to his efforts. Everything else was pointless in his mind.
The reporters tried their best but eventually gave up on getting anything else out of Khan. That alone wouldn't make them interrupt the interview, but Khan had already made plans with the Headmistress, so a soldier eventually summoned him to grant an escape route.
Surprisingly enough, Khan managed to return to the second district by dinnertime, and his silent phone eased some of his mental exhaustion. If it were up to him, he would spend his entire time training and studying, but his fame came at a price, and the interviews were only part of it.
When Khan landed, he found a slightly overweight middle-aged man waiting in front of his building. In theory, the Headmistress was dealing with the issue, so his presence alerted Khan. Still, a name appeared in Khan's mind and told him that figure's identity.
"Mister Chares, I suppose," Khan called while approaching the man.
"I'm flattered," The man politely lowered his head. "I didn't expect Captain Khan to know me."
Khan showed no fear, but his senses worked at full power. Mister Chares was a blank spot in his sensitivity, but many emotions spread through the mana that touched him. Khan saw resolve, coldness, and anger.
"I can't attend any meeting right now," Khan announced while studying the man's long black hair. "Yet, if you set something with the Headmistress, I'll make sure to come."
"I don't need anything so official, Captain," Mister Chares stated. "I'm only asking you to reconsider Tyler's evaluation. He is a good kid."
'Straight to the point,' Khan commented in his mind. "Sir, I avoided giving him a negative review. That's as far as I'm willing to go for him."
"But Captain," Mister Chares pressed on, "A positive evaluation from you would do wonders to his career."
"He might get someone killed if he keeps flying like that," Khan openly revealed. "I'm sorry. I don't want that weight on my shoulders."
Khan turned toward the building's entrance, but Mister Chares stepped in his way and forced him to stop.
"Captain, I'm sure we can reach an agreement," Mister Chares exclaimed. "My family isn't wealthy, but our reach might surprise you. Just name a price, and I will provide it."
"I'm not interested," Khan refused. "You should invest your resources in training Tyler. He might still become a decent pilot in a few years."
"I'm afraid I can't wait a few years," Mister Chares revealed. "Please, Captain, what do you desire?"
Mister Chares inspected his surroundings before covering part of his mouth and lowering his voice. "If alien women are your thing, I can-."
"Be very careful of your next words," Khan interrupted as pure killing intent left his figure and filled the symphony.
Mister Chares' pleading expression vanished, but no fear replaced it. He coldly accepted that his approach had failed and straightened his back to voice his goodbyes. "Have a good night, Captain."
Khan followed Mister Chares' departure with his eyes but eventually decided to enter the building. As for Mister Chares, he crossed a few blocks before picking up his phone and making a call.
"He was uncooperative," Mister Chares sighed while holding his phone to his ear. "Yes, the bastard noble is perfect for the job. He should enjoy ruining our upstanding Captain."
