1988 - Auction (3)
1988 - Auction (3)
I understand your mindset now.
"What kind of work can you do?"
What are your capabilities?
Even if you resolve to do anything, it's useless if your abilities don't match.
Your education is only high school, and not even from a famous school, but a rural girls' school.
Can you really keep up by my side?
"If I'm given time to learn, I can do anything."
"The financial sector is quite complex. What were your grades?"
"GPA 4.0, SAT 1490."
"......?"
I tilted my head.
With those scores, you could get full scholarships from all sorts of universities.
Even Ivy League schools without merit scholarships would give you full financial aid.
Are those scores really possible from an unknown rural girls' school?
"I've done rhythmic gymnastics and cheerleading steadily since I was little, so my motor skills are good too."
Was it because I was looking at her skeptically?
Ara began eagerly promoting herself.
"A-and, I'm quick to pick up on things. People who know me are always surprised, saying how did I know when they hadn't said anything."
If that's true, that's just superhuman level.
I'll have to see how she actually is, but based on the conversation so far, I'm quite satisfied.
But still, the biggest problem is.
"Like most people here, there will be a lot of work that conflicts with your morals. In those cases, can you guarantee you'll keep secrets?"
"I'm prepared. If I can just save my sister......."
"No. No. That's not the kind of preparation I want."
It's about how well you can keep secrets.
The money I give her won't come from the offshore fund, but from the family office.
That means it has to be paid from assets of just 3 million dollars.
I'm investing one-third of my freely usable money in one person; there's no way I'd settle for something small.
"What if I harm your sister?"
"......Huh?"
"In that case, you'd have no choice but to betray me."
"......."
"And if you start adding conditions one by one and making reasons, you'll inevitably betray me someday."
I know I'm saying overly harsh things.
How can a person offer absolute loyalty, or maintain secrecy?
But there's no other way.
If my prediction is correct, the U.S. Treasury and the IRS will definitely be on my tail, and in that case, the biggest risk factor would be the employee closest to me.
I absolutely need an employee who won't cave under pressure from the U.S. federal government.
"......My life. Please spare at least my sister's life."
"Huh?"
"If you just protect that, I can endure everything else."
I was just giving an example.
She seems to have truly prepared herself.
I feel like I've become some kind of terrible bastard.
No, just participating in a human auction itself makes me a filthy bastard, right.
"Hmm-. Madam."
"Yes, Member-nim."
"How much time is left?"
"Three minutes."
"Then let me know one minute before."
I closed my eyes and began to think.
I can't 100% trust Ara Berry's words.
Haven't I seen people who lost their initial resolve once or twice.
Given that I couldn't keep my own initial resolve either.
So it's right to assume that her resolve will also fade someday.
'......15 years. If it just lasts that long.......'
I don't plan to maintain the offshore fund forever.
If she doesn't betray me until I liquidate the fund and bring the funds to the U.S., even in the worst case of being stabbed in the back, I can avoid a fatal blow.
"One minute left."
"I'll hire her."
I reached a conclusion.
She seems like someone who won't betray within that time.
And it's also a bit of a waste to pass up on a beauty like this.
"I can pay about 80,000 dollars by check, right?"
"Up to 10% of the total amount is possible."
The cash I brought was 1 million dollars.
The fee to be paid to Nabi was 1.08 million dollars annually for three years.
I was worried they might accept part by check or bank transfer like in previous rounds, but fortunately, even though the times are different, that much seems possible.
I immediately took out my checkbook, wrote a check for 80,000 dollars, and handed it to Madam.
"Thank you. I'll really work hard."
Ara, who watched the scene, burst into tears.
Just expressionlessly shedding tears, it's like... a doll.
There's also a somewhat unpleasant, valley-like feeling.
"Congratulations on the winning bid."
Madam clapped softly and congratulated me.
[Lot 23, sold. With this, we conclude the 1988 first quarter auction. Thank you.]
As soon as the host's words, signaled by Madam, were heard, the stage lights went out.
And before my eyes appeared the (bell) graphic and a red dot.
No doubt it means 1.08 million coins have come in.
"Then I will return at the exit time."
Members do not encounter each other.
Because the exit times are different for each.
Of course, they secretly know of each other's existence.
Didn't I, before the regression, also get introduced by investors?
But Nabi strives to thoroughly hide the total number of members, auction participants, and their assets.
"Please do. You've worked hard today."
"......Thank you."
Madam left with a (subtle) expression.
Seems she can't get used to me being politely respectful again.
What can I do if my true nature comes out after holding a woman.
It's just my habit, so I have to accept it.
"Ara Berry. Can I call you Ara? I'm Arthur Kim."
"Yes. What should I call you?"
"Whatever you're comfortable with."
"......Master?"
"......."
Master, huh.
This has quite some destructive power, doesn't it?
"In front of others, just call me Boss."
"Yes, Master."
"......."
Damn.
I suddenly feel like I've become a slave owner, and it feels so good that I feel self-loathing.
Should I say it's a feeling that satisfies all my desires for possession, power, and even lust?
"Come here."
I gestured for her to come while sitting on the sofa.
Ara sat down demurely beside me.
Still expressionless.
With her already small frame and no change in expression, she really looks like a jointed doll.
"Are you always that expressionless?"
"Yes. I often hear that."
"I see."
That's really something.
I took her hand.
Even though her expression seemed fine, perhaps she was very tense inside, her hand was trembling violently.
"I can raise a child well."
"Huh?"
Did she think because I held her hand?
Eh.
Probably not.
No matter how little sexual knowledge she has, it can't be that bad.
"You, you said you don't know how a baby is made, right?"
"Yes. I was only told that if I hold hands with the person who will be my husband at night, I'll find out......."
"......Right."
An unbelievably ridiculous statement.
Realistically, it seems impossible, but on the other hand, I suddenly don't feel the money was wasted.
As expected, it's good to have money and see things.
"There's a lot to do from now on."
"Yes. Just give me any order."
"First of all, you need to study finance."
"I'm confident in studying."
"If something you don't know comes up, ask without fail. I'll teach you, so don't try to read the situation and hold back. Struggling on your own saying you'll do it yourself and wasting time is inefficient."
"Yes."
"What do you know about stocks, futures, options?"
"I know a little about stocks, nothing about the others."
"Funds?"
"I know that. A product? Or should I say a company? That invests the money investors entrust and increases the profit?"
About the level of an average person in this era, huh.
The road ahead seems a bit long.
Can't be helped.
I had already prepared for that much.
Once I teach her, she'll do well on her own, right.
For now, I have no choice but to believe that.
"Come up here."
I patted my thigh and said.
Let's see just how obedient she is.
"Yes."
Without any hesitation or wavering, Ara climbed onto my thigh and sat down.
Small and light.
Since she's over 50 cm shorter than me, it really feels like holding a slightly large doll.
"Mmm......."
I wrapped my arms around her waist.
Much better than I thought.
Is it because she's so small?
It's a different feeling from when I held Elizabeth.
Rather than feeling lust, it's a sensation of my mind calming down.
A strange sensation.
Is it because my mind is that of an old man?
It feels like all the stress that had built up unknowingly is released at once.
Should I have gotten a large teddy bear or something to hold even normally?
Sniff-.
"Euk."
I buried my nose in her neck.
As expected, Korean.
Even setting aside national pride, when it comes to the scent of human skin, Koreans are still the best.
Though most East Asians are like that overall, with Chinese or Japanese, if you're unlucky, sometimes body odor can be strong.
"You'll have to get used to it."
"I'm prepared. And......."
"And?"
"It's more... how should I say... a sense of relief than I thought. A comfortable feeling......."
Ara said, burying her head deeply.
Seeing her neck turn bright red, it seems that even with little change in expression, she's not without embarrassment.
"We'll have to live together 24/7 from now on. You know that, right?"
"Yes. If there's money, I can hire a caregiver for my sister."
"I can give you time to visit occasionally."
"Thank you."
"Then, about the work we need to do, briefly......"
Knock knock!
A knocking sound came from the door, interrupting me.
"Excuse me. Member-nim. It's your exit order. Are you available now?"
"Let's go."
"Yes."
I lifted Ara up and set her down, then got up from my seat.
There's plenty of time.
The lectures can be done slowly.
The destination with Ara in the car is Times Square.
It was the place that immediately comes to mind when you think of New York.
Though it's not that place from the future right now.
"We're here."
In the future, it's a place with only sidewalks, but now, the central car road is much larger.
And it's not the tourist spot commonly thought of either.
"What is XXX?"
"......I'll explain everything one by one later."
"Yes."
Ara, who was looking out the window, looked at me and asked.
This street is a pleasure district.
To be precise, somewhere between a pleasure district and a tourist spot.
'What to do.......'
The place I'm trying to enter is the Show World Center.
I stopped by to buy educational materials for Ara before going home.
'It would be fun to take her inside, but.'
I thought that while looking at Ara.
Even looking again, she's really pretty.
A feeling like a girl group center or visual member, or a stunningly beautiful actress.
No, even that comparison falls short.
Because she'd more than deserve the nickname 'Nation's'.
To be this level without any makeup at all.
'I don't like the idea of other times' colors staining that white canvas.'
If she enters the Show World Center, she will definitely gain sexual knowledge.
A comprehensive adult entertainment facility, also nicknamed the McDonald's for adults.
A place where porn theaters, adult shops, peep shows, strip performances, etc., are all gathered in one building.
What a waste.
I don't even know if I'll see a woman like this again in my life.
If possible, I want to color her entirely as I wish.
"Wait here. I'll go alone and come back."
"Yes."
It's better for me to go alone for now.
I swallowed the words about locking the door and not opening it even if a stranger comes.
She should know that much.
She is an adult, after all.
I opened the door and got out of the car.
And about 30 minutes later.
"......Why are your eyes closed like that?"
After buying various educational materials and returning to the car, what I saw was Ara tightly covering her eyes and ears.
"I'm sorry, Master."
"What happened?"
"I saw the words 'nude show'. I'm supposed to know nothing......."
"So you closed your eyes?"
"Yes. If I kept them open, information would keep coming in and I thought my value would decrease......."
"......."
I couldn't say anything and swallowed dryly.
What should I say about this?
Amazing.
At the same time, I also thought, she cares for her sister that much.
If I just manage her sister well, she probably won't betray me under normal circumstances.
I need to get home quickly.
After hearing those words, holding back has become very difficult.