"Relax, I'm perfectly fine. I just suddenly thought of how to continue The Grudge's storyline, so I plan to write it out later and film The Grudge's true final chapter." Edward smiled as he patted Zoroark's shoulder, noticing the Pokémon's doubtful, almost wary look.
Zoroark's expression twisted awkwardly into a forced grin. Even though it didn't say anything, the unease in its eyes was obvious. Edward's demeanor earlier had been… well, a little off. Anyone would worry after seeing him muttering to himself like that, eyes full of strange inspiration.
"But boss, The Grudge is still super popular right now. Are you sure you really want to end it?" Zoroark asked curiously, its ears twitching slightly. From its point of view, it made no sense to wrap up such a massively successful IP so soon. Shouldn't they keep milking it for all it was worth? Why stop now, when the brand still had so much momentum?
Edward chuckled. "Of course I'm going to film it. From the very beginning, I planned to give The Grudge a real ending. And think about it—what would happen if we just kept dragging it out?"
Zoroark tilted its head, thinking deeply.
If its boss really kept shooting sequels, then the future plots would basically continue revolving around Kayako's curse—her haunting, her killings, and new variations of how people would provoke or encounter her. At first, that might still attract viewers. But eventually, all the ways Kayako could kill would get used up, and the shock factor would wear thin.
No matter how terrifying something was at first, repetition made it predictable. Over time, the fear would fade.
Once Zoroark thought about it from that perspective, it finally understood. The boss's reasoning made sense. Sure, ending The Grudge might mean earning less money short-term, but it would preserve the franchise's reputation. A clean, powerful conclusion was far better than letting the series rot from endless sequels.
Zoroark had seen that pattern too many times before—masterpieces that started brilliantly but were destroyed by terrible sequels, their once-golden reputations left in ruins.
"So," Edward asked, shifting topics, "how's the prep work for Sherlock Holmes Season 3 going?"
Zoroark immediately perked up and gave him a detailed report. Hearing that the entire production crew was already assembled, Edward nodded approvingly. Without wasting time, he led the team straight to the Kanto region to begin filming Sherlock Holmes Season 3.
Once this film wrapped, Edward planned to shoot Tomie: Unlimited.
"Oh, and don't forget Batman: The Dark Knight," Edward added while on the plane, leaning back thoughtfully. "We'll hand that one over to Roda to direct. After that, we'll find another director to handle Superman, and then—bam—we can introduce the concept of the Justice League."
Running a film company meant juggling dozens of projects every day. But for Edward, his focus was simple: direct his own movies and oversee the scripts for the others. That was enough.
"How's things going with Kode?" Edward suddenly asked mid-flight, remembering another matter. "If I recall correctly, the first hospital construction should be nearly finished by now, right?"
Ah yes, that money-devouring beast of a project.
"Yes," Zoroark replied naturally, as if expecting the question. "Mr. Kode has been handling that. But it's been extremely busy lately. To prevent him from complaining to the Pokémon Workers' Association about overwork, I advised him to hire a hospital director as soon as possible."
Zoroark said this with professional poise. As Edward's secretary, it made sure the boss never had to personally deal with every small issue. That would be far too inefficient—and besides, the boss was the boss. He shouldn't have to micromanage like an ordinary employee.
"A hospital director, huh? Let me see their résumé," Edward said, frowning slightly. The word "director" immediately brought to mind memories of his previous life—news stories about corrupt hospital heads who owned hundreds of villas. Even if someone had been born a director, they couldn't possibly have earned that much legitimately.
Zoroark pulled a few documents from its file system and handed them over. Edward took them and began to read.
Meanwhile, in Rustboro—on the site of a nearly completed hospital—Kode was proudly showing the building to his companion.
"Saoirse, what do you think? Not bad, right?" Kode asked, his tone laced with satisfaction.
The tall woman beside him, Saoirse, looked at the newly constructed facility with bright eyes. "It's impressive. I can tell your boss didn't build this to be some half-hearted little clinic."
Originally, Saoirse had sworn never to take another management position again. She'd been content running a small local clinic—treating people, offering affordable medicine, helping patients survive without going bankrupt.
But then Kode showed up—and offered her something she couldn't refuse.
"Wait, Kode," she said, her brow furrowing. "You're serious? With a hospital this big, using such advanced equipment, the goal is just to break even?"
"It's true," Kode said calmly. "The boss already provided all the funding. The money's in the account."
Saoirse stared at him like he'd just told her the sky was green.
Sure, for Kode—and especially for their boss—those sums might not be huge. But to people like her, they were astronomical. Unbelievable, even.
"Your boss is really something else," Saoirse muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Just look at this equipment… it's unbelievable."
She wanted to say more, but words failed her. For someone as straightforward and action-oriented as Saoirse, talking was never as important as doing. The hospital was nearly finished, the medical equipment installed—now it was her turn to take the reins.
Kode looked at her fiery determination with satisfaction.
The name "Saoirse Vilkrakis," awkward and difficult to pronounce, was one he'd first heard in a heated argument between medical reps.
Back then, Kode had been running errands for the Foundation when, at a roadside restaurant, he overheard a group of pharmaceutical reps cursing someone named Saoirse Vilkrakis in vicious tones. They called her every name imaginable.
Curious, Kode had looked into it—and discovered the truth.
Saoirse had been the director of a hospital renowned for its honesty. She had forbidden bribes, kickbacks, and all unethical practices within her facility. As a result, she was adored by upright doctors and despised by the greedy ones. To some, she was a saint. To others, a sanctimonious meddler who ruined their easy profits.
Kode respected that immensely. He preferred working with people of integrity. And when Edward tasked him with finding someone to oversee their new hospital, he immediately thought of Saoirse.
By coincidence, she had just resigned from her old hospital after clashing with her corrupt superiors. One thing led to another—and now, here she was, standing on the construction site of her new battlefield.
"So, you'll handle the recruitment and medicine sourcing," Kode said, handing her a document. "This is the salary scale approved by the boss."
Saoirse glanced at the sheet—and froze.
"This high?" she asked, dumbfounded. The pay rate was triple that of the official League hospitals.
Sure, she'd received offers from private hospitals before—some even ten times higher, due to her outstanding reputation in gynecology—but those institutions were profit-driven. If they could afford such salaries, it only meant they were making obscene amounts of money elsewhere.
Edward's hospital, however, was different. Its goal was only to cover operating costs. It wasn't built for profit at all.
So even triple pay under those conditions was extraordinary.
"The boss said high salaries foster integrity," Kode said proudly.
He had always been a proud Pokémon—loyal, competent, and difficult to recruit. Many other companies had tried to hire him before, but he had never accepted. Only Edward's sincerity and vision had persuaded him to stay.
Over time, Kode had come to admire Edward deeply—not just as a kind and generous man, but as someone capable of turning ideals into concrete action. A good-hearted person who could actually get things done.
There were many "good people" who caused chaos through naivety. But Edward was different. He had both compassion and competence.
"Your boss sounds like a remarkable person," Saoirse said, slapping Kode's shoulder with a grin. "Don't worry. I'll make sure this hospital becomes one of the best around."
With a salary that generous and a boss who didn't micromanage, she couldn't imagine a better opportunity.
With pay this high, she could attract almost anyone—short of the League's top-tier specialists, she could practically build her dream team.
"I believe in you, old friend," Saoirse said warmly. "And if you come across any patients who qualify for our Foundation's aid, just refer them to us. Our internal hospitals always process those cases first. We'll make sure they get treatment."
His voice brimmed with passion. This hospital's true purpose was to lower medical costs and help people in need.
A surgery that used to cost a million could now be done for a fraction of that. And the money saved could be used to save more lives.
"I understand," Saoirse said with a small smile. "I used to criticize your Foundation for being cold and bureaucratic—but now, I see there's real good in what you're doing."
To have such a hospital where she could freely realize her ideals—it felt like a dream come true. The first group of staff she planned to recruit were all doctors who shared her vision.
But outside the construction site, a different group of people stood watching the hospital with uneasy eyes.
The Foundation's mission statement was printed clearly on the wall: A Non-Profit Hospital Dedicated to Accessible Care for All.
Everyone knew what that meant.
This new hospital would shake the entire medical system—and threaten many people's livelihoods.
And when you cut off someone's source of income, it's as bad as killing their parents.
This hospital's birth was destined to be controversial.
"She's quite the remarkable woman," Edward murmured as he read through Saoirse's file. "No wonder she earned Kode's approval."
Her story really was legendary—becoming a hospital director before turning forty, then resigning out of sheer integrity. She was the kind of person who'd "hang up her seal and return to the mountains" in ancient times. A true professional with backbone.
Zoroark puffed its chest out a little, clearly proud. "Well, it is Kode we're talking about."
Edward laughed softly. With the hospital matters settled, his reputation would rise even higher—eventually to a point where even the League wouldn't dare move against him.
Not that he cared about power. For him, this was just another way of showing good faith and loyalty to the League.
"By the way, boss," Daniel suddenly spoke up from the seat behind them. "About Mr. Giovanni—the one we worked with before—will his situation affect our future projects?"
Edward waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry. It's fine. Giovanni's just acting in a drama, after all."
That had been his reasoning from the start when he cast Giovanni as Professor Moriarty.
(End of Chapter)