Do You Trust Us?

Ever since she learned that Tilda had cut ties with the Jensens, and all the awful things the Jensens had done to her, Astrid had felt both heartache and guilt for her idol and cousin. Now, seeing Tilda find a new family, one that truly loved and cherished her, no one was happier than Astrid.

Tilda said, “Thank you all. I’m heading out now.” She also let Una, Andy, and Jude know. They were genuinely happy for Tilda, too. “Go for it, Tilda! Hurry over–don’t waste a second. Go meet the most precious person in your life!”

Hetsa, here I come!

When Tilda arrived at Hetsa Airport, it was still 4 a.m. Mystro and Liam had coordinated to fly in on the earliest flights they could get. Because of the long distance, they wouldn’t arrive until at least noon. Tilda put on her wireless headphones and played some music. She found a comfortable spot to sit and settled in to wait.

She had already left messages for Manfred and the others, waiting for them to reach out first.

Speak of the devil.

Manfred sent a video call request right then.

“Queen, is something wrong?”

“No, Mr. Parker, actually it’s …”

Tilda shared the news that Liam and the rest were on their way to Hetsa. Once Manfred realized Dane’s juniors were coming, he looked troubled. Tilda picked up on it right away. “Mr. Parker, did something happen with Dane?”

+8 Pearls

“No, not exactly … Queen, Professor Kerrigan is currently leading an elite team and working in seclusion on the last big challenge. Honestly… it might be a while before you’ll get to see him.”

“Why? Isn’t the lithography machine project almost finished?”

Manfred let out a long sigh. “The closer we get to the end, the more careful we have to be. To achieve the precision needed for the lithography machine, we must create a 4nm chip. That is the hardest part. Right now, our country can only manufacture 28nm chips. If Professor Kerrigan succeeds, it’ll break the monopoly. This milestone will go down in history. But after all these years, countless top scientists in Cetherland have spent their whole lives trying and still failed. Even for a once–in–a–century genius like Professor Kerrigan, starting from scratch and developing a 4nm lithography machine in a short time is just impossible. Our country is getting stronger, but compared to the truly developed nations, there’s still a gap of decades. That can’t be closed overnight or with empty slogans. We have to acknowledge this gap and learn from others. That’s the best strategy.”

To be honest, even if the lithography machine project was already in its final stages, Manfred still wasn’t sure if Dane could actually break the monopoly and build a 4nm chip required for the lithography machine. Trying to close a decades–long gap between Cetherland and other countries with just one person, one team, was like chasing a fairy tale. However, Dane was such a rare genius. Because of that, Manfred, Lab Seven, and the entire nation were willing to put their hopes in him and give their full support. But if Dane failed, no one would blame him. This was an almost impossible task from the start. But with Dane there, even the impossible seemed just a little more within reach.

Tilda fell silent.

Manfred quickly tried to comfort her. “It’s a shame that you probably can’t see him … but, Queen, try to understand Professor Kerrigan and the country’s situation. Since you all made it to Hetsa, let me show you around the city.”

“Mr. Parker, I actually have an idea I wanted to discuss. Would you be willing to hear me out?”

“Go ahead.”

After Tilda finished explaining her thoughts, Manfred looked stunned. His breathing suddenly raced. “Wait… Queen, are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. I’ll explain everything clearly to my two seniors. We’re all from Cetherland. Even if we’re separated by distance, that sense of loyalty will never fade. I don’t know how much we can actually do, but as long as it’s for Dane and for Cetherland’s future, we won’t hesitate! The only question is whether you trust us, Mr. Parker, and if you’re willing to give us the chance.”

Tilda’s words were so firm and passionate that Manfred was swept up by her determination. “If I said I fully trusted you from the start, Queen, that would have been a lie. We’ve had our issues before, but now I can honestly say I trust you one hundred percent! And of course, I trust Professor Kerrigan’s juniors, too. Since this is an almost impossible challenge, all we can do is give it everything we’ve got, so we have no regrets.”