"Heh, Wise, how can you be so sure that person had a reason? That guy… That bastard…"
Koleda refused to believe that Khors could be as noble as the father in the story.
Yet she couldn't stop thinking about the father who had been with her when she was little.
'Is it really impossible? Maybe he did have a reason…'
"No! Impossible. That scumbag having a reason? Even if he did, what was it? Why have I never seen it all these years? All he left behind was a mess!"
Koleda's sudden outburst startled Wise, and Grace, who had been quietly listening, couldn't hold back anymore.
"Koleda! How can you talk about your father like that!"
Her voice was sharper than usual. Wise, noticing the sudden tension, remained quiet and observed from the side.
"Back then, a large sum went missing from the company accounts, but no one could prove that Uncle Khors took it. The so-called investigation results and claims of embezzlement were nothing but Public Security's hasty speculations!" Grace spoke firmly in his defense.
Even though Koleda clearly didn't want to revisit the topic, Grace continued.
"I can understand how painful it is to lose your father and face the Public Security's criticisms, but you shouldn't harbor such prejudice against Uncle Khors!"
Koleda clicked her tongue and turned her head angrily.
"You were too young when he left, and your time together was short. You don't know how amazing Uncle Khors was to all of us…" Grace said softly.
"It's you who knows nothing!" Koleda snapped.
When she was young, Koleda had personally seen her father leave with a large bag of money. That memory, combined with the Public Security's speculation, made the supposed 'fact' almost impossible to doubt.
How could she not believe it?
At that moment, everyone fell silent, and naturally it was up to Ben, the one with the best social sense, to step in.
"Uh, well, you all just needed to explain to Wise what the name Khors means to us. Do we really have to dig so deep… Oh, and by the way, wasn't Grace checking those three lost machines with Anton?"
Ben's words eased the awkwardness, and Grace didn't linger on the earlier topic.
"…Actually, I came here to tell you we might have a lead on why they went into the Hollow," Grace said suddenly, remembering why she had come.
"Really? That's fantastic!" Ben replied.
"After analyzing the logic cores of the three machines, I found that right before they disappeared, each one received the same signal from deep within the Hollow."
But it didn't end there. Grace's next words surprised everyone.
She revealed that the source of the signal was actually the 'Prototype Machine'.
"Prototype Machine… What is that?"
Wise looked puzzled, and Ben patiently explained, "It was the first smart machine Belobog Industries was developing before the former president vanished. Back then, our production line wasn't advanced enough to manufacture it ourselves."
Ben recalled what had happened and sighed before continuing.
"Unfortunately, after the machine was completed, and before the final payment was made, the Old Capital incident happened. The company that helped with its production was lost in the Hollow disaster, and the prototype machine disappeared along with them."
As Ben finished speaking, Wise could clearly sense his mood was a bit low, and Grace continued at this point.
"That's right. But from what we've seen, the prototype machine never truly vanished and still has some functionality left."
She stopped briefly, then looked directly at Koleda.
"Sweet Pea, I know you won't like hearing this. You don't want to be involved with that person anymore, but the prototype machine belongs to the company. The first-generation logic core inside it is incredibly valuable. What do you plan to do? Are you going to retrieve it, or act as if it doesn't exist?"
Koleda lowered her head and remained silent, clearly struggling with the decision. At the same time, Anton, having finished his work, walked over to interject.
"Grace, calm down. There's no need to decide anything today. Even machines get worn out, and people even more so. After running around the Hollow for that long, everyone needs a break, both body and mind."
After Anton said this, Ben nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Anton's right. Wise must be pretty tired too. It's getting late, so you should head back and get some rest. If anything comes up later, we'll come find you."
"Alright, I get it. I'll head back for now. See you all," Wise said as he took his leave.
With Ben having already made his stance clear, and the atmosphere growing awkward, Wise had little reason to remain given his current relationship with Belobog Industries.
After leaving, he went straight back to the video store and gave Belle a quick update on what had happened.
When she learned that the changes within Belobog Heavy Industries had also occurred during the fall of the Old Capital, she was visibly surprised.
That period of chaos had concealed countless secrets, whether related to their own investigation or the truth behind Koleda's father's disappearance.
Still, neither Wise nor Belle wanted to dwell on such a heavy topic. The matter concerning their teacher was something they would investigate sooner or later.
After a short discussion about the commission, the day finally came to an end.
The next day, just as Wise had expected, Anton took the initiative to contact him. Unsurprisingly, Koleda had decided to search for the prototype machine.
Upon receiving the news, Wise immediately rushed to Belobog Industries, where everyone was already waiting for him.
"Wise, thank you for coming. Belobog Industries has decided to officially begin the search for the prototype machine," Koleda said, her tone carrying a faint trace of fatigue.
"There's really no need for thanks, Koleda. We're friends, after all. And besides, I'm getting paid for this," Wise said lightly, giving a casual wave.
"Hmm, that's true. However, Grace is the expert when it comes to tracking down the prototype machine. I'm sorry, but I still have other matters to handle today. You should discuss this with her instead."
After saying that, Koleda did not even look at Grace. With her head lowered, she turned and walked away, the resentment between them clearly still unresolved.
Wise, standing on the sidelines, found it hard to step in and say anything.
Ben stood nearby, watching her leave with clear worry on his face.
"Don't worry, Ben. Once our president makes up her mind, she won't go back on it."
"Exactly. For sweet pea, this much is already enough. I'll figure out the rest."
Hearing both Anton and Grace say that, Ben could only nod, feeling helpless.