"Kode!"
Watching the furious Zoroark, Edward fell into deep thought for a moment—he was seriously beginning to doubt whether his secretary was all there in the head.
Just moments ago, Zoroark had looked on the verge of tears, pitiful and delicate—something straight out of an acting textbook. It was the perfect example of a "damsel in distress" performance worthy of study at any film academy.
But now? The illusion shattered the instant Kode raised a sign that read "This is a lie."
Once exposed, Zoroark could no longer keep up the act. Enraged, it began chasing Kode, who calmly floated ahead with his trademark spoon in hand.
Edward rested his chin on one hand and shook his head. Still, he couldn't deny he was genuinely surprised—surprised by Zoroark's origins.
Hisui, huh?
Such an ancient era… How had Zoroark survived all the way to the present? The more Edward thought about it, the more baffling it seemed. He just couldn't figure out how it had managed to endure for so long.
After quite the ruckus, Zoroark finally gave up the chase. Edward didn't know whether Kode had made some backroom deal with it or what, but peace was restored. Either way, Edward got the point—Kode had finalized the list of candidates.
But since the foundation was under Edward's name, Kode still needed his signature for final approval.
"Mr. Kode, I trust your judgment when it comes to picking people," Edward said as he glanced over the list—then paused.
Good grief… Not a single human on the list.
At the top were a pair of Indeedee, one male and one female, both with extensive volunteer experience and professional certifications. Administrative tasks would be no issue at all.
Then came a Blissey.
"...Kode, this Miss... Nightingale—how did you even recruit her?" Edward looked at the profile in disbelief.
A Blissey named Nightingale. The name alone was surprising, but still acceptable. After all, in the Pokémon world, Florence Nightingale was a well-known historical figure, and many Nurse Joys considered her their idol.
What stunned Edward was her resume. It was downright extravagant.
She could easily be the head of any Pokémon Center. Why would someone like that settle for the modest salary he offered?
Granted, Edward didn't pay poorly. But when compared to what someone like her could earn—well, "modest" was putting it lightly. If she went back to being a director, she'd be raking in cash every month.
"Boss, funny thing is… this was all thanks to you," Kode replied with a chuckle.
Edward scratched his head. "What does this have to do with me?"
Once Kode explained, Edward finally understood.
Apparently, this Nightingale was a huge detective drama fan. After watching Edward's Sherlock Holmes series, she began following the foundation, saw the various charitable cases they'd taken on, and was moved to help.
That's what convinced her to join Edward's team.
"Well, that's great… but we'll need to raise her salary," Edward said seriously as he looked over her résumé again.
People always said it was hard to find a job—but in the Pokémon world, someone with this kind of background didn't look for work—work came looking for them.
Since she was willing to join the charity effort, Edward wouldn't insult her with a low salary. It would be a complete waste of talent.
"I thought the same," Kode replied, smiling even more broadly. He'd worked at the foundation long enough to understand that Edward was an easygoing, generous boss. He didn't micromanage, offered great benefits, and was genuinely supportive. Working under him was a breeze.
"Alright then, let's make it official. Foundation staff salaries will be adjusted based on performance. Miss Nightingale's salary should be brought up to the industry standard," Edward said as he massaged his temples.
Kode had found ten new hires—and not a single one was human. All Pokémon.
But the biggest name among them was undoubtedly Nightingale—a Blissey with a "Legendary-Class Medical Certification." She was trained in the most advanced medical equipment sanctioned by the League and had previously served as a Pokémon Center director. Her last job had been at the Motostoke Pokémon Center in the Galar region.
"Understood, boss." Kode grinned and stroked his mustache as he walked off in high spirits.
"Boss, looks like monthly expenses are going up again," Zoroark said cheerfully from beside Edward. It had already done the math—those Pokémon salaries weren't going to be cheap.
"So be it," Edward replied, unfazed.
He owned Ghost Film Pictures, and profits had been strong. He wasn't saving up to buy cars or houses, so he had always been generous with his staff. Now that he was doing charity work, he cared even less about cutting costs.
Compared to the income generated by Ghost Film Pictures' IPs each year, these expenses were a mere drop in the bucket.
Even though Tom and Jerry and Sherlock Holmes weren't his main movie franchises, they'd become cash cows for the company, bringing in a steady stream of licensing revenue every year.
And compared to what he was earning from Devon Corporation, even that IP money was negligible.
So, no—Edward wasn't concerned about expenses.
But all that time spent talking to Kode had eaten into his lunch break. Soon, he'd be back on set for A Wicked Ghost.
He was actually excited. Watching a film gradually take shape in his hands gave him a real sense of accomplishment.
"Boss." Zoroark's voice suddenly pulled him back.
Edward turned, puzzled.
The midday sun shone through the leaves and glass, casting a dappled light across the girl's form.
Her golden hair flowed down her back, smooth and gleaming. Her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled. Her pale cheeks were tinged with a soft blush, and her slightly parted lips held a shy smile.
The breeze lifted the hem of her white dress and gently tousled her hair. She raised a hand to tuck a strand behind her ear.
The girl lowered her head bashfully. One foot rose onto its tiptoe. A flush of pink quietly spread across her cheeks.
Edward was momentarily stunned.
He knew Zoroark could take on any form—but this? This form genuinely caught him off guard.
The girl bit her lip gently.
"...If I told you it was real… would you believe me?" she whispered, voice soft as a mosquito's buzz—barely audible.
(End of Chapter)
TN: Do you guys know any novels like this where he create movies or just bringing culture to a fantasy world or even like Black Tech Internet Cafe System?
I love novels like Lord of Entertainment here and I'll probably translate my own translation of Bringing Culture to a Different World at Chapter 300+ where it started going bad.