Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: A Growing Meracle!
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"So busy. So busy."
Exactly one week had passed since returning to the 3rd Floor Earth after Christmas.
The new year had come, I'd aged another year, and my days off had slipped by in a haze.
Back to everyday life.
Right now, Meracle was packed to the brim, buzzing with activity.
"We'll find your miracle for you. Welcome to Meracle. Do you have a reservation?"
Kim Yang's greeting let me know another customer had arrived.
I'd trained her to say it perfectly back in the day, and now she recited it like a recording on loop.
That meant she was exhausted.
'Maybe shorten the greeting a bit.'
When there were no customers, a long greeting was fine. It even felt personal and attentive.
'But with more and more coming in, we need to trim it down. Or maybe put up nameplates?'
Hang big ones right at the entrance where everyone could see them.
'That's genius.'
This was the first time I'd felt Meracle's growth so viscerally.
A deep sense of pride welled up inside me as I turned to the customer in front of me.
"So, you're in financial trading?"
"That's right. I work out of Cyber City."
He had a neat, tidy look and a sharp suit. His appearance was solid, and he carried himself with relaxed confidence.
"Could I get your company's name, by chance?"
"Pardon?"
In this business, clients often hid their details.
Landmines, they called them.
My job was to check without souring their mood.
"Oh, no worries. We don't leak info. We just need to know for proper rating adjustments."
"Ahem. I used to work at a company... but I quit."
"So you're a freelancer now. A full-time investor, right?"
"Exactly."
Look at that chill.
Should I probe a little more?
"Haha, no need to worry, sir. Who isn't trading stocks these days? Everyone does it. Full-time investors aren't stigmatized in the marriage market anymore."
"Right? I never got that prejudice. Only clueless people call it unstable—"
"Exactly. So, sir, what's your current assets situation?"
"One Belucan Coin, two Alodelrooms—"
"Crypto investor?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Ahem, sir? We don't count 6th Floor coins as assets. Too volatile, you see."
"......"
"Anything else? Cash, real estate, vehicles?"
"Nope."
"......"
As I stared silently, he hurriedly explained, looking stung.
"You're misunderstanding. That's how crypto works. I took money I could've spent on a house or car and turned it into way more with coins."
"But it could crash tomorrow. Cyber City swings are wild. Then it wouldn't count as assets. We have to rate you properly."
"Ha......"
Today he claims 500 million in coins, A-rank.
Tomorrow it tanks to 100 million, rank drops.
We can't adjust ratings in real-time, so coins count lightly at best.
The customer sighed and ran a hand over his face.
"This is why I can't talk to you primitive 3rd Floor idiots."
Cyber City had its share of arrogant elitists.
Technologically superior, so they thought themselves superior. Baseless discriminators.
You couldn't reason with them.
"Take a look, sir."
I'd installed a 6th Floor trading app just for this, asshole.
"Belucan Coin and Alodelroom, right? Checking now."
"Wait! Hold on!"
Sure enough, the charts were plummeting blue. Not real-time due to inter-floor lag—about 30 minutes—but the trend was clear.
"No prospects on the 6th Floor, so you came to the 3rd? Figured us primitives wouldn't know your investments tanked?"
"Fuck, fuck fuck! Just help me snag some rich bitch! Buying the dip now is the smart play!"
He yelled, fuming. I shoved my phone back at him, freshly updated.
"Dropped more."
"Fuck—!"
BAM!
He stormed out of the consultation room, spewing curses.
We took everyone, but real problem cases like this usually bailed when poked.
And that guy wasn't a client—he was a scammer.
Reneah peeked her head in from the next room, the real handful.
"Boss? Ready for the next one?"
"Please."
"Got it!"
Last Christmas.
She'd grumbled for days about being left alone at her convenience store shift.
New Year's, turning 1,902, we rang in together at my place over dinner. That cheered her up.
Now she was part-timing at Meracle.
Reservations were fine with us prepped, but she handled walk-ins.
She'd been bored after her store shift anyway, hanging around. Worked out.
'Wait, don't they give subsidies for hiring seniors over 60?'
Reneah was from 4th Floor Rajesta Continent, so maybe not eligible?
Still, 1,902 years old......
* * *
No matter the customer flood, legally mandated lunch breaks couldn't be skipped.
I wanted to be a ruthless boss squeezing my two foreign workers, but I had to hold back.
Ding-dong!
"K-Kim Yang, food's here."
"M-Maknae."
"Yesss! Maknae's got it!"
"......"
Was it okay calling a 1,902-year-old grandma "maknae" and sending her on errands?
But she was loving it, so I couldn't tell her to stop.
"K-Kim Yang."
"W-Why callin'?"
"......Never mind."
If she was happy, that was enough.
I didn't want to rob one of her few joys at her age.
This was filial piety, right?
Should've ordered sides knowing this.
"Brought it, s-sunbaes!"
Reneah beamed in with today's menu: sashimi rice bowls.
She'd loved raw fish since our sushi outing last time.
"Y-Yeah. S-Set it up."
"Yes! Understood! Hehe, it's been almost 1,500 years since I was called hoobae."
Glad she was pleased.
Unpacking revealed neatly arranged sashimi like jewels in a case.
"Good work today. Lots of afternoon reservations, so I splurged on something special—"
"L-Let's eat."
"I said 'let's eat'—!"
The staff ignored me and dug in.
What other company was this flat?
"They think they're the bosses."
Lunch started with everyone crowded at my desk.
Chairs were short; we'd borrowed plastic ones from the store for customer waiting, space was tight.
"Stuck in the consult room all day, I didn't notice... but is it this cramped here?"
My words drew eager nods from both.
"Cr-Crammed! Super cr-crammed!"
"More than cramped, the space usage sucks! What extravagance!"
"That bad?"
Were they exaggerating?
"Th-That bad. C-Customers. Uneasy."
"We advertised big, they come, but this back-alley office vibe? No trust! Some turned right around!"
"What?"
No matter how shabby the exterior, our work was top-notch.
"......Guess I can't invest the incoming cash in stocks."
No helping it.
"After work, hit the wholesale furniture place."
I'd gone when we opened. Orc-run warehouse stacked with furniture.
"M-Me too!"
"Ooh! This lady's coming too! Sounds fun!"
"Not for fun. No overtime pay."
"B-But. No sense."
"Mm, zero sense!"
What the...
Kim Yang as an influencer? Fine.
But a 1,902-year-old elf sleeping on leaves and waking to dew calling out my fashion sense?
"Fine, tag along. Let's see how great your picks are."
"Behold the power of age! This elf's followed trends for 1,900 years!"
That actually sounded convincing.
She dressed pretty hip too.
A bit intimidated, I ate quietly. Kim Yang clapped lightly and fetched a letter from her spot.
"M-Mail. M-Morning pickup."
"Thanks."
Mail was usually bills.
Chewing sashimi rice, I sorted through.
Utility bill, insurance promo, nearby mart flyer, three letters from Baek Yeonhwa on Old Martial World...
"She needs to stop sending these."
She said no reply needed, but they kept coming when she was bored.
"I-I'm replying. F-Friends."
"You? Pretending to be me?"
"C-Crazy? P-Pen pals."
"Ah......"
"This lady writes too!"
Odd friend group.
"That's why three at once."
One for me.
One for Kim Yang.
One for Reneah.
I passed them out like deals. Next one—
"Huh?"
Familiar, unwelcome name.
One of Meracle's main rivals.
[TowerMatrimony New Year's 'Hundred Roses Banquet' Invitation]
TowerMatrimony, 3rd Floor's biggest, best-known marriage agency.
Their invite to us.
"Hundred Roses Banquet? What's that?"
Reneah craned over. I explained simply.
"Like a party. They pick singles from member agencies for mingling time."
"Ooh...? Sounds fun!"
Fun?
Maybe.
Basically spouse-viewing party, marriage candidate battle royale.
Dating show without cameras.
Roots of those shows, really.
"But inviting me?"
Not even their client.
Calling a rival boss to their New Year's bash?
"B-Boss. G-Gonna go?"
"Have to. They invited us. Could learn something."
I'd wanted to try 'meeting parties' myself.
But Meracle lacked capacity and funds—for the distant future.
"Opportunity handed over. Gotta scout properly."
Curious how big players run these, keep momentum.
Their bold move had backing confidence.
"Th-Then."
Kim Yang nodded, fire sparking in her formerly lazy eyes.
"S-Styling. G-Get one. Go."
"......"
"F-First strike. O-Our rival."
Kim Yang burned with zeal.
Meanwhile, Reneah's chopsticks eyed my salmon, so I shot her a glare.
"G-Granny likes salmon."
"......"
"Sorry, stop staring!"
Only pulls the granny card when it suits her.