Edward took the list of actors handed over by Deck and raised an eyebrow the moment he felt its weight.
This list was surprisingly heavy—so heavy that Edward found himself momentarily stunned.
"Has it been filtered already?" Although he knew full well that Deck must have already screened it before handing it over, Edward still couldn't help but ask the question.
"Yes, Boss, it has been filtered," Deck replied, fully understanding what Edward meant.
Edward took a deep breath, rubbed his brow, and then began to go through the auditioning actors' list laid out before him.
These were all actors who had applied to audition for roles. Even though Deck and the team had already done a preliminary selection, the number of names left was still quite substantial.
As soon as Q opened its eyes and saw the thick stack of application forms, its eyes went wide with shock.
Zoroark, however, didn't seem surprised. It had done its own homework on its boss. After all, Edward's film Dead Silence had become one of the most popular horror movies in the entire Pokémon League.
A debut film that had already grossed over a billion—joining the exclusive club of top-grossing directors on his first try. And now, with preparations underway for his second film, any actor not clamoring to audition would be considered out of their mind.
What even Edward didn't know was that, within a certain niche circle, he had already earned the title of a "talent scout."
The reason? The male actor who played Jamie in Dead Silence was previously an unknown—an invisible face in the industry. But thanks to the success of that film, he had broken through to become a recognized star, with his market value now significantly elevated.
The actor had publicly said that Edward was a director who cared only about acting skills, not fame or reputation.
That one comment alone sparked interest among countless aspiring actors who considered themselves skilled but lacked opportunities. They began dreaming of replicating Jamie's story.
"Bring them in for auditions. As for those whose acting falls short or whose delivery is subpar—cut them all," Edward said after finishing his review. The list had a lot of names, and by reading through bios alone, he couldn't determine who truly had acting chops.
What did surprise him, though, was that among the applicants were a few well-known film stars—actors he had often seen on the big screen. He hadn't expected them to want a role in a horror film either.
Still, Edward didn't put too much thought into the audition process.
Dead Silence was his debut project, but it had already proven his directorial ability. Naturally, good actors wanted to be part of a quality production. The only surprising part was the sheer volume of audition requests, which even caught Edward a bit off guard.
Zoroark picked up its phone, furrowed its brow slightly, and then stepped out of the room.
"Have the filming locations been settled?" Edward asked, suddenly reminded of another matter.
The story of One Missed Call—the new film—had some connection with a school setting, as the female lead was a university student. That meant they'd need to borrow a university campus as a filming location.
"All taken care of. The principal of Uva Academy is willing to lend us the location for shooting," Deck reported immediately.
Edward nodded in satisfaction. Naranja Academy, along with Uva Academy, were the two most prestigious institutions in the Paldea region. Getting their cooperation was a major advantage—it saved him a lot of effort and negotiation.
After briefly instructing Deck to begin preparations for the shoot, Deck left the room. Not long after, Zoroark returned and pushed open the door.
"Boss, Gym Leader Grusha of the Paldea region would like to meet with you," Zoroark said.
Edward blinked in surprise at the name.
Grusha? A Gym Leader?
"When?" Edward asked, puzzled as to why Grusha would want to meet him. The name did ring a bell—he remembered Grusha as the Ice-type Gym Leader.
When he first played the game, Edward had actually mistaken Grusha for a woman. The outfit, the hairstyle, the facial structure—all gave off a feminine vibe. It was only later, when he looked up more information, that he realized Grusha was, in fact, male.
But as far as he could recall, he had never met Grusha personally. Why would Grusha want to see him? Though confused, Edward decided it would be best to agree to the meeting. After all, if Grusha had already reached out to Zoroark, it must be important.
"Tomorrow at noon, right here in Levincia City. You can choose the location, Boss," Zoroark said crisply. But this only made Edward more curious.
What could Grusha possibly want with him?
Without any further clues from the man himself, Edward could only instruct Zoroark to take note of the arrangement.
As for the meeting venue, Edward chose a cafe right next to the Levincia City Pokémon Gym—easy to find and convenient for both parties.
With company matters handled for the moment, Edward decided it was time to go out for a proper meal. He figured it was a good opportunity to sample some of Paldea's local cuisine.
Zoroark, ever the capable assistant, had already looked up a few recommended restaurants. After weighing his options, Edward finally picked one that sounded particularly appealing.
But the moment he arrived at the restaurant's entrance, he froze in his tracks.
"Heath's Kitchen"
"Boss, what's wrong?" Zoroark, noticing Edward standing still at the door, gave the signboard a quick glance. Everything looked normal.
"It's nothing. Just reminded me of something from the past," Edward replied with a light smile. Without elaborating, he stepped forward and entered the restaurant with Zoroark in tow.
As soon as they walked in, a waitress hurried over to greet them, asking how many were dining and what they'd like to order.
What caught Edward off guard was the woman herself.
He had seen her before.
It wasn't that long ago.
She was the same woman he had seen at the Pokémon League's administrative office, inquiring about the region's minimum living allowance support policies. He hadn't expected to see her here, now working as a waitress in this establishment.
"Three people. Please bring us the menu," Edward said with a polite smile.
The woman quickly led them to an empty table and handed over the menus.
"Boss, we…" Zoroark began, puzzled as to why Edward had said three people were dining. But then he saw Edward take Q out and place it on the table, even setting up a full set of tableware for it.
"What?" Edward asked, noticing Zoroark's confused look.
Zoroark paused for a second.
"Boss, that lady just now—we saw her before at the League office," Zoroark said with a smile. Edward nodded in acknowledgment just as the waitress returned with the menus.
As Edward took the menu from her hands, he noticed the thick calluses on her fingers—proof of hard physical labor.
"Zoroark, you go ahead and choose what you want to eat first," Edward said, handing the menu to Zoroark. Zoroark looked at Edward with a complex expression before taking the menu and scanning it. Eventually, it ordered one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and a drink.
Afterward, Edward took the menu and ordered a few dishes that Q enjoyed before finally making his own selections. He then handed the completed order back to the woman.
Zoroark watched all this unfold with a smile forming on its lips, clearly amused and touched by how naturally Edward handled everything.
(End of Chapter)