So...? How Much Do You Need?
What’s the most important thing when starting a business or trade? A lot of factors come into play—location, workers, and so on.
But the absolute top priority? Capital. Plain and simple, money.
Especially for the line of work I had in mind—lending money—having no cash on hand was as good as telling me to pack it up and go home.
Telling a desperate customer in need of quick funds, “Sorry, I’m broke too,” would just be a joke.
My first goal was to grow my funds as much as possible. That way, I could lend to more people and get stronger in the process.
And with that strength would come a comfortable life. Luckily, I’d saved up a decent chunk from my adventuring days.
Not enough to lend to crowds, but plenty for a handful of customers.
So what was I getting at? A kind of premium financial service.
Not just lending money, but providing services to ensure smooth repayments. And if they wanted, free aftercare for a set period afterward.
After all, the core of my ability wasn’t just lending—it was collecting.
You might scoff at “premium” or “after-service” for loan sharking. Tsk tsk, too stuck in modern thinking.
Unlike the modern world with its banks and shady lenders, this fantasy realm had no such distinctions.
In short, a little extra effort made it premium here, and a touch of kindness turned it into感動 service.
So I’d been scouting for high-end clients eager for top-tier loans... only to find no one worth lending to.
“Hah, who’d rush to borrow from a total stranger anyway?”
This business is tougher than it looks.
Muttering to myself as I wandered the market, I caught a commotion in the distance—out of place amid the bustling stalls.
“Hey, grab that brat! Don’t let her slip away!”
“Damn, this little runt’s quicker than she looks!”
“Haa... haa...”
A hooded kid was darting through the alleys like a pro. Trailing her: three burly thugs with nasty scowls.
The kid knew the terrain well, slipping every net they threw, but the gap was closing.
I watched for a bit, then asked a nearby shopkeeper.
“What’s the deal with that kid? Why’re they chasing her?”
“Who? Oh, the one in the hood?”
“Yeah, that little one.”
The merchant paused, digging through his memory.
“Something about borrowing money and not paying it back, I think.”
Not paying back? So those guys were in the same line as me.
Business hadn’t even started, and here I was facing competition already...
Then an idea flashed.
Why not make that kid my customer?
Loan shuffling, they called it—taking new debt to pay off old. Sure, it’s a vicious cycle, but what did I care if she wasn’t mine yet?
Plus, lending at high interest to cover their claim? Win for me, fire put out for her, cash for them. Total win-win.
No reason not to. Perfect timing too—I’d been tearing my hair out for a client.
“Stop right there?!”
“Haa... haa...”
My lungs burned like they were ripping apart. No surprise—I’d been sprinting flat-out.
We weren’t rich, but not poor either. Just average.
Until it all shattered fast.
Dad started acting shady, claiming “drinks with friends.” Fidgety, uneasy.
Mom asked what was wrong a few times, but he just brushed it off: “Nothing.”
I thought it suspicious but figured he had his reasons. No big deal.
Then one day, he didn’t come home.
We worried, but days later, he returned—beat to hell, with grim loan sharks in tow.
Turned out, his “friend” had conned him into a mana stone processing scheme with promises of killer skills.
No such skills existed, of course. Dad was left with nothing but debt.
We tried paying it off together at first, but complications from his injuries killed him.
Interest piled up. To douse the flames, we borrowed elsewhere to pay—repeating until the debt snowballed beyond hope.
Then Mom fell ill from hard labor and passed too.
Now I was alone, running. If they caught me, it’d be slavery. Maybe even sex slavery.
They’d pick the highest bidder to recoup their cash.
“Aaaagh!!”
I tripped. Rough hands snagged my collar.
“Ha! Gotcha, you little pest.”
Despair crashed like a tidal wave. Slave market for sure. Better bite my tongue here?
Yeah, maybe—
“Ow~ Business must be booming. I get you’re in the trade, but roughing up my potential customer like this is a problem.”
A man with gray hair and blood-red eyes approached leisurely, black club slung over his shoulder.
“Huh? Who the hell’re you? Her dad’s already croaked... Cousin or somethin’?”
“Here to pay up instead, buddy?”
He smirked at their jeers.
“Whoa, whoa, picking a fight? And I said it—we’re in the same trade.”
“Not kin, not paying either.”
“......?”
“Just thinking I’ll lend this kid some cash, same as you did.”
Observation Eye
Analyzing target's repayment ability.
Analyzing target's potential ability.
Phew, finally found her.
She’d bolted far in that short time—nearly lost her.
Hell, pre-skill me probably would’ve.
The second I decided to make her my customer and gave chase, she vanished. I was about to give up when—
Observation Eye
Traces of 'potential customer' normally undetectable have been found.
The skill triggered out of nowhere, lighting up glowing footprints on the ground.
Followed ’em here. Would’ve been gold back in my adventuring days.
Skill for the win!!
Anyway, calling myself same trade dimmed the kid’s eyes a bit... Nah, imagination.
Same trade in name only—theirs and mine were worlds apart.
“Pfft! Fine, senior’s advice: piss off.”
“Quit yapping and scram.”
Some mouths on these guys. I was being polite.
“Oof, scary stuff. But the decision’s not mine, fellas.”
“Only the customer gets that privilege.”
I knelt by the kid huddled between us.
“So... how much do you need?”
Her dark eyes met mine. Pitiful, but business is business.
“Speak up. You look like prime regular material.”
“Borrow from me now, pay those guys off first. Better than getting dragged off, right?”
“We’ll sort our deal later.”
She stayed silent despite that. Now what?
Aha! Just ask the lenders—like trading debt notes back home.
Buy her debt proof cheap from them via her. Genius—I’d missed it.
“Sirs, how much does the kid owe?”
“Thinking of buying it off ya.”
They burst out laughing, clutching their guts.
“Sure, we’ll tell ya: 150 gold coins.”
150 gold?! Time to check the balance...
This runt racked up that much?
I shot her an incredulous look while tallying mentally.
She noticed—her already shadowed eyes darkened more. Sheesh, those dying-puppy eyes.
Fine, first customer gets a break. Don’t care if you didn’t ask—your opinion’s irrelevant in your own debt trade, kiddo.
Why bother if I need the cash back? Not outta charity.
I was certain. She could pay.
My Observation Eye said so.