Robertson led Mi-Yung through the room like a true expert simply because he knew the value of face and status. That point was everywhere, with people, prose, and poise, so he had to be polite even when the path leading to the main bosses was quite similar to the one before.

  Robertson opened a small way forward, putting his hand in front of himself like an old gentleman. That was funny, considering he was younger than Mi-Yung, yet wasn't lacking in manners.

  Mi-Yung didn't seem to mind. It wasn't bothersome, nor was it pleasing to deal with it, as many did. Alas, many people loved that sort of thing, which she couldn't understand. It was just how some things worked, and the past used to be like this a lot. People pushed these boundaries, and power, arrogance, and the desire to push others down were prevalent. It still was... And will be.

  Mi-Yung was someone between and that, caught under her scrupulous position and family, and her freewill of choice. Yet her nature was changing every year, becoming increasingly deviant and stronger! Her worries were about different problems than some etiquette bullshit because she gets how the world and its people work. How? Etiquette was just bullshit that was unnecessary when the stakes of lands and people were in question, and she saw enough of this world to overlook it almost entirely.

  She quickly heard many powerful voices filling the air, accompanied by the scent of wine and food, and many people sat or stood around the tables. Like the previous room, this one had levels, facing massive windows at the front, revealing an open bunker with a lit chair and an enormous contraption behind it.

  Talking, laughing, or simply observing the windows was the main event. There were numerous windows, so elevated rows of individual platforms with rooms for better observing made sense. There were bars and lounge areas, but overall, there was a hierarchy, with the lowest levels much more prominent and filled with powerful Walkers who preferred stazing close to the windows. Those above or in the back were less important, yet still capable of looking ahead.

  The front was frightening, and the Assembly and Rank 8 Walkers were in quite startling numbers. Small rectangular tables were placed before the windows, and benches or sofas were there for simple sitting.

  Still, many just stood around, walking the paths, making friends or amends, and watching the window while talking to others, or not even doing that because they had employees for alerts and such. Bars were perfect for this occasion, yet there was almost no privacy. Many attendants did their job, bringing snacks or drinks. Even more people formed their own groups, either farther from other groups to avoid distractions or farther from those they disliked.

  Everything contributed to the order, setting the mood, and nobody questioned or contributed to madness. Here, peace deals and plea deals were common, and drama was unnecessary.

  And pretty darn common if one looked and heard what Mi-Yung knew. Fake faces... fake promises. Dramas and truces were left and right, yet everyone was trying their best. This was their world.

  As usual, loudness was evident at this event, and no one here was normal. Each guest was a powerful individual and someone privileged enough to see the Forced Awakening with their own eyes. They shall see future Walkers, whom they will fight over or bid over each other very soon.

  That's right. The window opened into a sturdy-looking bunker with a surprisingly low ceiling. Thick concrete and numerous reinforcing black bars created a cell that would never crack. But it did, often between two and dozens of times per event. It was a hundred feet wide, and bright light illuminated just that sick chair, where the true show began an hour ago.

  Many people looked that way, chatting and judging what was there, sitting beside a rather strange mechanism known as the Emblem Accelerator, which was a complex mixture of tubes, machines, cables, wires, and moving parts. It was no car, plane, or anything like a factory machine, or a processor for food—everything connected to a big chair that gave Mi-Yung shivers!

  She sat there years ago... and she didn't like to think about it or visit what she saw ahead of herself, in that sick mirror. Mi-Yung didn't expect so many... well, Walkers. The lowest one must be at Rank 4 or 5, and those were a handful of rare cases, or parts of significant figures who brought them here to attend alongside them. In short, they might be young talents who rose that quickly, and sending them to this place was a nice show of force.

  Robertson showed her the way, and Mi-Yung recognized and met her familiar, big-league peers, who were far older than herself. Did they care about that? Not really, even if some did because of disgruntled, shitty reasons. Before she even spoke, someone jumped towards her.

  “Ahhhh! Mi-Yung! You are here! What makes you come here so pretty at this time?” A lady clothed in a rather loose white robe said, taking her sudden arrival as a surprise. She gave her a tight hug and almost jumped on her whole body and yanked her to the ground. That would be hard, and this lady knew it.

  “Y-you don't have to hug me whether we see each other, Seong-unnie.” Mi-Yung tried to shake her away, as this lady was of the same nationality as herself. South Korea had several notable survivors, and quite a few Walkers managed to escape before it became implausible.

  Unlike people, they were hard to kill, while pride to die along with South Korea was old, depressing, but utterly stupid. Song Family refused that idea; Mi-Yung remembered how her father shouted for everyone to get the fuck out of there while he defended everything. That led to a hellish decision, yet the strongest Walkers survived that craze.

  Even if he did not. Since then, South Koreans have been quite efficient and powerful in their own right, yet... outside of their home. Feeling like vagobons. Losers. They scattered, yet many remembered and still supported the decisions and matters of the Song Family, whose current patriarch was Mi-Yung's uncle, Song Sochun.

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  Asia was vast, and South Korea was relatively reputable, considering its land. Their Walkers and their talents were close to the peak of the world, and it showed even after their home's destruction.

  Even then, this lady didn't have to act like this to Mi-Yung, who was certainly familiar with her and knew her well, yet the timing was shitty, and this place even more so. The fact that she was twice her age, yet looked no older, was another thing.

  This rather bashful lady was both pretty and powerful, which gave her both natural and odd feelings. She was as open as any book, and gave everything... well, everything she had. The Federation was what it could be, while many of its guardians took this little event for a vacation. This lady took it for exactly that and nothing else.

  Of course, this didn't mean that situations outside were left to rot or go unattended. There were many Walkers who were out there, regardless of this Awakening, because they couldn't afford to let Darks be.

  Regardless, it was rare to see so many figures in one room. Mi-Yung knew it. The general views on nationality remained in the shadows, and many were open and expressive about it. Old people took it to heart the most, as the older generations who lived before Dawn taught them the most.

  In the home-ground, the pride of the Federation was supreme, rather than what their parents' backgrounds or their own origins were like. However, people from Japan or China were different, as their nations remained intact, and pride was part of it.

  Humans had many distinct and mindful cultures, and it wasn't unusual for Mi-Yung to take care of her own kin.

  Seong was proud of Mi-Yung and of how far this Song had evolved from a little twig to a ravishing beauty. She had long abandoned the beliefs of her homeland and became an independent Walker, traveling all over the place before settling in the Federation, where her little mistress was.

  Mi-Yung couldn't afford to be like her. She became the Lower Pillar for all the people who wished to see the Song Family thrive. Even then, Seong was proud of those facts and showed them for everyone's sake.

  “Your chest... No. I mean, I am glad to see you, Mi-Yung.” Seong pulled herself from her and greeted her one more time. This time, she wished to be reserved and tried her best to stay professional.

  “I swear... Seong-unnie, I am only here because I am a proxy for someone, and I am here for that purpose. You aren't around very often, so you probably haven't heard of everything that has been going on.”

  “Oh, that's false. I did. Not even a little, by the way. Some voices reach far, you see. Something like... well, a lot of attention came to the Federation a while ago. You were involved in it a little, you damn little devil, didn't you? Australia...” Seong said her last piece with conspicuous interest, and further exposés were unnecessary.

  Mi-Yung maintained a strong poker face and wasn't surprised she knew about it. “Sure. Nothing strange. I want to observe the situation, the people who came here, and see what else is going on. As for what happened, it doesn't concern me anymore.”

  “You? Wait...a proxy? Who is this lucky guy? How come it is even possible since you have so much work and whatnot?” Seong asked in visible confusion, yet an underlying smile revealed her mischief and what she already knew.

  “Guy?”

  “Oh, crap. I might've heard things from others. There are a lot of ears and mouths in this room and stuff. You know how it goes. Rumors and tales are nice, yet what is true or not? It's fun uncovering what is true.” Seong said shamelessly, gesturing to others. A whole first row was full of crazy bastards and masters whom everyone respected, yet nobody had noted their weird greeting as of yet.

  “Fine. Think what you will, but I won't tell you anything further or add anything extra. It is a surprise even for me. What awaits... let's say in more than a hundred subjects, is what I delayed for years.” She replied with a smile, leaving Seong a little dejected and understanding.

  “Fine, little Song. If you say so, I won't bother you. Would you like to join me in the front row? Where are you going to watch? The Assembly is here, or... do you want to go visit old friends or make new friends? I got a couple of vixens back there, you know, the stuff out in shameful east? I got new friends.”

  “I...am not little.”

  “What?!” Seong got hurt and frowned. Sizing her, she figured she might have misspoken. So she gestured at her hips. “You were this tiny a while ago. You should think about Aunty a little bit. Have you seen your uncle lately, or are you still refusing him?”

  “No...” Mi-Yung refused whilst looking as far as she could.

  “He is not here. Again.”

  “Figures. He is busy, right?”

  “And unwilling to come face to face with you, huh? A shame.”

  “And not my concern. Leave it. I will stroll around, see people I want to see, and talk to them. My guy has hours of waiting ahead of him, so see you later,” Mi-Yung excused herself without making it obvious that her primary reason was the Assembly tables not far away from her. She shooed Robertson away so he wouldn't tell anything.

  This left Seong helpless, yet she was willing to leave Mi-Yung alone, just like a grown-up Walker she was.

  “Make sure to revisit Aunty, alright?!” Seong voiced her concern before she left, even though she wanted to spend more time with Mi-Yung. There was no hiding those tears or shaking eyes. She could do much more than that, because Seong's responsibilities and position were rather lax. If it weren't for relative safety in her areas of expertise, she wouldn't be here.

  Soon, Mi-Yung was alone, yet not really. Many people around her were within her interest and awareness. She was familiar with them, knew their names, histories, and personalities, as one equipped for these policies. One might even call her the great structural politician, but she would digress from such claims. She dealt with numerous foreign and internal businesses and politics within the Federation and beyond for people and the past alone. Some of that required heavy lifting, yet every connection was precious. Some were bothersome.

  Alas, she wasn't here for either of these reasons, and Assembly didn't force her in any shitty direction either. Instead, they had others handle those delegations, as Mi-Yung had forced them in this direction by becoming a proxy for William and temporarily being unfit for her duties.

  She made her observations, noting who was present and part of little groups or tables. Seats and many packs of Walkers created links, but they were not in any specific shape or group. Foreigners stuck together, but many reached out in attempts at socialization.

  The Federation's Divisions were much more scattered, and also enjoyed the views in their own groups. So far, so good, until one oddity came ot her eyes. Mi-Yung noticed that there were no peculiar Academy members or Butlers around. They should be here, however. Somewhere.

  Looking at the windows was as easy as it was since they weren't the ones feeling that Madness ahead. Close to the windows were the Assembly and the Pillars. Lower or High, it didn't matter. There were two rows of benches, numerous tables, sofas, and chairs situated right before the windows.

  They had the best view, even though it didn't seem like that. For hundreds of Walkers, such a room was nothing more than a box. And right now, this box was heavy and loud, filled with many topics and ideas that will soon twist and evolve.

  Sometimes, it could get brutal in representatives, sobriety, or temperatures, yet no fights would come. For that to come, things would have to get bloody or loud in a different way.