In a virtual meeting space, three figures sat around a sleek holographic table.
This wasn't a physical meeting, but a simulated environment—a fully immersive holographic conference room that allowed people from different planets to meet as if they were in the same place.
On one side sat Diana and Eden, the two applicants eagerly awaiting their results.
On the other side sat Arwin, their soon-to-be boss.
He leaned back slightly, arms crossed. "Alright," he started, glancing between them, "I've gone through all the test submissions, and I have to say… you two did a damn good job."
Diana gripped the table's edge, practically vibrating in her seat. "Wait, does that mean—?"
"Yeah," Arwin confirmed, nodding. "You're both hired."
A squeal escaped Diana before she could stop herself. "YES!" She threw her hands up, then quickly cleared her throat, trying to act more professional. "I mean—uh—thank you!"
Eden, much calmer, gave a satisfied nod. "Appreciate it."
Arwin chuckled at the contrast. "Glad to have you both on board."
Diana, still bouncing in her seat, asked, "So, uh… what's the salary like?"
"You'll be starting at 7,000 credits per month," Arwin said. "As Vault Studios grows, you'll get raises and promotions."
Diana pumped her fist. "That's so much better than I expected!"
Eden folded his arms, thinking it over. "That's a fair starting point."
"There's also a basic contract," Arwin continued. "Stuff like NDAs—you know, no leaking studio details or upcoming content. Leah will send you the document after this meeting. Read through it and sign when you're ready."
Both of them nodded.
"Now, about the work itself," Arwin said, getting into the details. "I'm about to start the next phase of the Nebeska Film Fest, so I won't be available much. But Leah will handle all studio operations while I'm busy."
Diana tilted her head. "So, you're just gonna disappear?"
"Not completely," Arwin said. "I'll check in when I can, but day-to-day stuff? That's on you two."
"Got it," Eden said.
"Each week, Leah will send you a full script with all the details for the next Doraemon episode," Arwin explained. "You'll also have full access to the character models, backgrounds, and assets. Your job is to animate one episode per week each."
Eden nodded again. "Makes sense."
Diana gave a thumbs-up. "Sounds fun!"
"Also," Arwin added, "I've already pre-made the next two weeks' worth of episodes, so you don't have to rush. But I highly recommend working ahead."
"Good idea," Eden said. "A buffer always helps."
Diana grinned. "I like how prepared you are!"
"Leah will send you a new script every week, and she'll collect the finished episodes for upload," Arwin finished. "If you need anything, just ask her."
"Will do," Eden said.
Diana nodded eagerly.
Then, after a brief pause, she narrowed her eyes at Arwin.
"Wait a second…"
Arwin blinked. "Huh?"
"You don't look that old."
Eden glanced at Arwin again, actually noticing it now. "Yeah… how old are you?"
Arwin sighed. "I'm 20."
Silence.
Diana froze, eyes wide.
Eden, usually quiet, raised his eyebrows slightly.
"You're what?" Diana blurted out. "You mean to tell me… a 20-year-old did all of this alone?!"
Arwin shrugged. "Pretty much."
Eden exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "That's… impressive."
Diana leaned back in her chair, still trying to process it. "Damn. I feel like I should've been working harder in my life."
Arwin smirked. "Well, welcome to Vault Studios."
The tension broke with a few chuckles, and after wrapping up the final details, the meeting ended.
Now that his Doraemon series was in good hands, it was time for him to focus on his own development.
That morning, his A-Level Film Directing Course had finally arrived.
This was the final step toward becoming a real director.
The course was highly advanced, designed to be completed in two months using his education pod.
Excitement bubbled inside him. Two months of sleep, and he would wake up with the knowledge of a master filmmaker.
After making sure Leah had everything under control, he walked over to the education pod.
Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Alright… time to level up."
As he lay down inside, the pod slowly closed around him, and his vision faded into darkness.
Meanwhile, in her room, Diana was jumping up and down, barely able to contain her excitement.
"Mom! MOM! Get in here!" she shouted.
Her mother entered, arms crossed. "What now?"
Diana grabbed her hands and spun her around. "I GOT THE JOB! I'M WORKING AT VAULT STUDIOS!"
Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Wait, seriously?"
"YES!" Diana grinned. "I'm gonna be animating Doraemon!"
Her mother let out a relieved sigh, shaking her head. "Finally, my daughter has a job."
Diana pouted. "Hey, I was always going to get one!"
Her mother smirked. "Sure you were. If I hadn't forced you, you'd still be asleep right now."
"Okay, okay, fair point," Diana admitted, laughing.
Her mother crossed her arms. "So, what exactly will you be doing?"
Diana sat down, pulling up her tablet. "I'll be animating episodes weekly. They already sent me all the assets and models!"
Her mother peeked over her shoulder, watching as Diana scrolled through character files.
"You better not mess up that blue raccoon," she teased.
Diana gasped dramatically. "Mom, he's a CAT ROBOT!"
Her mother chuckled. "Whatever you say, dear. Good luck!"
Eden wasn't the expressive type, but he was just as thrilled.
Sitting in his small apartment, he immediately called his best friend—the one who had told him about the job.
"Dude," Eden said as soon as the call connected, "I got the job."
His friend let out a whoop. "I knew it! Congrats, man! You're gonna be working on Doraemon?"
"Yeah," Eden said, a small smile on his face. "They just sent me all the assets and materials."
"That's amazing!" his friend said. "I better get free exclusive content before anyone else!"
Eden chuckled. "No promises."
As he opened the files, looking through the character models and settings, a sense of pride settled in.
This was his first real step into the industry.
And he was ready for it.