Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 160: Businesswoman

Chapter 160: Businesswoman

The principal, a plump man with a calculating gaze, gave Lyra a look that suggested he could see right through her. "My nephew’s child desperately needs life-saving treatment, but she refuses to stay in the hospital. That’s why we need one of those units," he said, his voice urgent, but not enough to sway Lyra.

She didn’t flinch. "Then it’s even less necessary. The first-generation Aesculapius’ Grace can only slow the symptoms. The treatment takes an exceptionally long time," she responded, her tone cold as ever.

The truth was, while Aesculapius’ Grace could stave off death, it didn’t cure—only delayed.

The device was originally designed to help Lyra bypass the limitations of her own superpower, but saving the masses was never her ambition.

Besides, she held another crucial piece in her hand: The Mendez.

Jorathon, a key figure in The Mendez, was one of those desperately seeking healing through the device. However, if he ever got fully cured, Lyra knew he’d come for her without hesitation.

And with no updates or improvements on Aesculapius’ Grace coming for years, she wasn’t exactly worried about him making a move anytime soon.

The Mendez had initially believed they could break free of her control once they got their hands on the device. But when treatment began, they quickly realized it wasn’t enough.

Without constant access to the machine, the results were temporary at best. So in the end, they were still bound to Lyra, relying on her superpower if they truly wanted a shot at survival.

Seeing Lyra’s lack of empathy, the principal’s face twisted slightly, his voice growing sour. "I thought this would be a small matter for someone like you."

Lyra didn’t even blink. "It’s just as small a matter for you, Principal. If you’re that desperate, Planet Nagano’s medical department should be more than happy to provide one for you."

The man stood there for a moment, his thick lips pressed into a tight line before he sighed heavily. "It’s not about taking advantage of you. The issue is that the second batch of Aesculapius’ Grace from the Alliance has hit some roadblocks, and the child doesn’t have time to wait. That’s why I came to you."

Lyra’s eyebrows raised ever so slightly. "The second batch? There’s been a problem? What kind of problem?" This piqued her curiosity. If there was an issue with the device, it likely had something to do with her.

The principal sighed again, clearly frustrated. "I don’t know all the details, but it sounds like production has stalled. There’s some sort of bottleneck, and they haven’t made much progress."

As someone who had been around for a long time and had plenty of connections, he always managed to pick up on the whispers circulating about major projects.

Even with this vague information, Lyra knew something was up. "I’ll have a unit delivered to you this afternoon. Make sure you accept it personally," she said coolly, ending the conversation on her terms.

The principal couldn’t help but chuckle softly to himself. "You sly girl," he muttered. Lyra never did anything unless there was something in it for her.

Leaving the principal’s office, Lyra’s mood darkened. She immediately dialed Morrison, who was stationed on Elden Prime.

"Boss," Morrison’s voice came through, along with the sound of frantic typing in the background. It was clear he was deep in the middle of something.

"The second batch of Aesculapius’ Grace is already in production. Did you know about this?" Lyra’s voice was ice, each word slicing through the line.

Morrison stopped what he was doing, blinking in surprise. "I hadn’t heard anything about it," he admitted, quickly putting the pieces together.

If production had started, yet there hadn’t been any orders for the essential "core" components—those that only Lyra’s team produced—then someone was trying to cut them out of the loop.

That someone, of course, being Caspian, the one overseeing the production.

After the initial shock, Morrison let out a bitter laugh. "So, do we pull back on our production of the cores?"

Lyra didn’t hesitate. "No. Increase the quantity, raise the price, and widen our sales channels."

"Got it."

As soon as the call ended, Lyra found herself thinking about Caspian. She recalled the earnest look he’d worn when they first struck the deal, and she couldn’t help smirking.

It seemed the second she left Elden Prime, he’d shown his true colors as a businessman.

’Does he really think I’m naive enough to let him wrest control of the core technology?’ Lyra sneered.

If Caspian was bold enough to try and take full control of Aesculapius’ Grace, Lyra wasn’t losing any sleep. No one could replicate her technique, and she was confident that when Caspian’s plan blew up in his face, his reaction would be priceless.

...

On Elden Prime, deep within a cutting-edge lab, Caspian stood stone-faced, his usual charm replaced by simmering fury. His eyes, sharp as blades, swept over the room like a storm ready to break.

"This is what you call a substitute for the ’core’? What am I supposed to do with treatment units stuck in production? Who’s taking responsibility for this mess?" His voice sliced through the tension, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present.

The team of researchers shrank under his gaze, none daring to meet his eyes.

Finally, the head of the lab mustered the courage to step forward, though his voice wavered with fear. "Technically, we’ve replicated the structure exactly, one-to-one. But for unknown reasons, it’s incompatible with the Aesculapius’ Grace. There must be some unknown technique they’re using that we haven’t figured out."

Two "unknowns" were enough to send Caspian over the edge. His voice dropped, venomous. "So, you’re telling me you don’t know, and now you’re asking ME for answers?"

The head researcher immediately clammed up, and the whole team stood frozen like statues, knowing Caspian’s wrath wasn’t entirely aimed at them. It was his own frustration—his attempt to break free from Lyra’s grip had crashed spectacularly.

He had sunk fortunes into trying to reverse-engineer the ’core’ technology, and here he was, stuck in the same bind.

With a derisive snort, Caspian turned on his heel and stormed out of the lab.

As he marched down the hallway, his secretary hurried to catch up. "Sir, should I contact the factory that supplies the ’core’?"

Caspian clenched his jaw, barely containing his frustration. After a tense moment, he nodded. "Do it."

The silence surrounding the second batch’s issues was a small blessing—word hadn’t leaked yet. But if Lyra caught wind that he’d tried to undermine her, she’d come down on him like a hammer.

Unfortunately, his relief was short-lived.

His secretary burst into his office not long after, her face ashen. "Sir, the supplier says the ’core’ is temporarily out of stock. You’ll have to wait for the next batch." She hesitated, dreading the next part. "Also... they’ve raised the price by five percent."

Caspian, a businessman who had weathered nearly thirty years in the game, sat there in silence, his fingers drumming the desk in a steady rhythm.

His mind was racing, calculating his next move. "What game is that woman playing?" He reached for his comms device. "Get me the head of their Elden Prime operations."

It wasn’t long before Morrison’s composed voice came through. "Hello, Mr. East. This is Morrison."

Caspian spun the lighter on his desk absentmindedly, his voice smooth but laced with danger. "Mr. Morrison, care to explain what’s going on?"

Morrison, cool as ever and reviewing incoming orders, smirked slightly. He’d been expecting this. "I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Mr. East."

Caspian’s voice lowered, his frustration barely concealed. "Why has the price of the ’core’ increased? And didn’t we agree to reserve stock for Aesculapius’ Graces?"

Morrison almost laughed at Caspian’s indignation—it reminded him of husbands who’d ignored their wives for years, only to be outraged when she stopped catering to him.

"Well, the ’core’ has been quite the success since it hit the market, and production costs on Elden Prime are through the roof. The price increase is just business," Morrison said nonchalantly. "And as for reserved stock, you never placed an order. We can’t hold inventory forever without a contract, can we?"

Caspian sat there, teeth clenched, knowing Morrison was right. In the ruthless world of business, unsold stock was a liability, and Morrison was making it clear that Caspian had no leg to stand on.

Swallowing his pride, Caspian leaned on his last bit of leverage. "Fine. When can I get the shipment?"

Morrison’s tone remained professional, but there was a subtle edge to it. "Let me check... Hmm. Looks like the earliest we can ship is next month."

"What?" Caspian’s shout reverberated through his office, echoing off the walls in disbelief.