Location- Central Region, Central Academic City, MorningStar University, Conference Hall No.01
The Dean briefly explained to his cabinet members about VR-Universe and its secrets discovered by the top illusionists of their University while sharing the documents and papers associated with the topic with the grimoires of his cabinet members.
"Impossible, how can illusions be alive when they aren't even real?" a professor could not wrap his mind around the fact that something who by definition was not real could be considered alive. As a researcher, he has an open mind but this was too much for his mind to handle.
"The data shown in these applications do indeed show that the illusions in the VR-Universe are alive. However, how much is accurate?" Senior Professor Novak enquired. Because it was common in the field of research for unworthy researchers to falsify their results for their 5 minutes of fame.
"I have personally visited the VR-Universe and participated in the collection of these data sets, so you can rest assured, none of the data presented to you is falsified," the Dean vouched for the accuracy of the data he presented to his cabinet members with.
"Dean, I can see you have already concluded that the VR-Universe is an illusionary realm filled with illusionary living beings. So I am guessing you did not call for the cabinet meeting here to debate this matter. Then why are we here Dean?" Seeing the Dean vouch for the presented data set, Senior Professor Novak immediately knew that Dean had reached his conclusion about VR-Universe and its secrets and he was just sharing them with the cabinet body for the real reason they were all asked to assemble here.
"I called you here to discuss how to proceed from here on out.
I mean, since we have figured this out, the other universities too should have figured out the secrets of VR-Universe.
The knowledge behind the creation of the VR-Universe is not public and is known to one person alone, Dalton Wyatt, the genius who discovered silver milk powder—" Before Dean could finish Senior Professor Novak cut him off saying, "Say no more Dean, you want us to get the knowledge behind the VR-Universe before other universities by any means necessary."
The Dean was not angry to be interrupted by Senior Professor Novak because he was doing that under his direction. These two were singing a duet to control the crowd and set the agenda straight without starting a debate over this, Why not that? Why not this?
And also there are things that a Dean could not possibly say, like asking his cabinet members to get the knowledge behind the creation of VR-Universe and its living illusion before other universities by any means necessary. Therefore, Senior Professor Novak said that in the Dean's place. Giving the cabinet members a clear idea of why they were here and what they had to achieve.
"Dean, it is obvious, we lure Dalton Wyatt with early admission to our university before the other universities do the same, and if necessary we promise the boy other benefits and privileges. Anything to get him to enroll in our university and once he is our student we can ask him to share his knowledge behind the creation of the VR-Universe and the living illusions within it," Prof Lee spoke up. He was eager to prove himself to the Dean after the previous incident where the Dean condoned him for juggling between his roles as researcher and professor.
Many cabinet members seem to agree with Prof Lee's simple approach to their problem. However, the Dean and senior professor Novak did not seem to be impressed by the approach proposed by Prof Lee.
"Prof Lee, I disagree with you. You seem to have no grasp of the situation. Dalton Wyatt is backed by the Southern royal family. They will never let him share the knowledge of VR-Universe with us if it is as important as the Dean describes it in his paper," Prof Orian disagreed with Prof Lee's proposal and spoke up about why his proposal would not work in the current situation.
Listening to Prof Orian, the Dean and Senior Prof Novak nodded as they too had thought of many ways to entice the boy into sharing the knowledge of the VR-Universe with them but all of them were flawed by the presence of the Southern Royal family.
"Prof Sansa Orian, what are your thoughts on this?" Senior Professor Novak asked Prof Orian for her thoughts impressed by the fact that she knew that Dalton Wyatt was backed by the Southern Royal family. He and the Dean had purposefully left this information out of the documents they shared with the cabinet members as a test and Prof Sansa had passed with flying colors.
"I think we should take assistance from the central government on this one. That is the only way we can openly go up against the Southern Royal family," Prof Orian declared with confidence.
However, listening to her the cabinet members looked at her in shock as if she spoke something taboo. The thought that Morningstar University would take assistance from the brutes of the central government disgusted them.
"Interesting, Prof Sansa, what makes you think that the government will assist us on this, and even if they did, what makes you think that we can trust them?" the Dean himself asked Prof Sansa Orian, he did not seem to be offended by her saying that they would take the assistance form the central government.
"Dean, if the VR-Universe is everything you claim it to be then I think the Central government would prefer something that powerful to be under their control than a moody genius teenager's control who is supposedly backed by a royal family. So they will dive at the opportunity to assist us.
As for whether we can trust them, Dean let me ask you this: will the other universities hesitate to take assistance from the central government regarding this matter because of their trust issues? Dean, you said anything it takes and I am telling you this is what it takes. The real question here is, are we prepared to do what it takes?"