Daily Necessities (2)
I'd just wrapped up my tuition loan with the Artina Academy Scholarship Foundation. After paying the enrollment fees, I didn't have a single coin left to my name.
I turned my footsteps elsewhere.
"Time to head out."
My destination was the Loren Company, run by Rien Roderan. I planned to get a living expenses loan there.
The academy foundation offers tuition loans at low interest rates, but living expenses were a different story. Tuition starts in gold coins, while daily needs can mostly be covered with silver. So, the foundation doesn't handle small loans.
If you ask for a living expenses loan, they expect at least gold coin amounts. From the lender's perspective, the loan amount matters more than the number of loans—too many small ones are just a hassle to collect on.
I don't need that much gold.
That was the difference in perspectives. Borrowing in gold units would just rack up interest on money I wouldn't even use. The rates weren't much better than the tuition loan, so there was no merit.
Better to go to a growing merchant group right here at Artina Academy: the Loren Company.
As you know, its owner is Rien Roderan, a first-year girl who's just enrolled.
She's using her academy enrollment and branch setup to boost her position. Later, that becomes the foundation for her role as a main story protagonist, clashing with other family merchant groups over interests...
Stop.
"Welcome. This is the Loren Company."
As I stepped past the fence, a private guard intercepted me. I flashed my student ID and went inside.
The Artina Academy branch of the Loren Company was the size of a decent manor. Three buildings in total: the shop, the premium shop, and the Loren Hall.
The shop handled general goods, while the premium shop displayed high-end accessories and luxuries for nobles. Both were swarming with students, but the quieter Loren Hall handled "money" matters.
In short, it was for usury and administration.
I headed straight into Loren Hall without hesitation. Unlike the flashy other buildings, this one had a neat, orderly vibe. Polished wood, mana lamps. Staff handling responses, and people who didn't look well-off.
Normally, you'd take a number ticket, but students get priority pass. I showed my student status and went up to the second floor.
There was an office. Not too big or small—just right for getting work done.
I knocked, and a clear voice rang out from inside.
"Come in."
I opened the door. There sat a girl at the desk, scribbling with a quill.
Blue short hair, golden eyes that gleamed like treasure. Tilted beret, checkered uniform, white blouse tucked into her skirt.
The girl's name was Rien Roderan. Owner of the Loren Company, hidden daughter of one of the empire's five great ducal houses. An inescapable figure in the original story.
She still had a ways to go, but she was key in Act 2 Chapter 3's school trip and Act 2 Chapter 4's memorial rite, plus frequent appearances in side episodes.
If I had to sum up Rien's alignment: neutral between good and evil. With a seductive smile, she crosses that central line at will.
She could be a player's ally one moment, a formidable foe the next.
Keeping that in mind—and remembering her worldview revolves around "money"—I stepped into the room.
"I've got business."
Face-to-face with Rien. She seemed focused on her papers, then turned her gaze to me.
Rien's lips curled up like a fox's. Purely calculating merchant smile.
"First time visiting? What brings you? Quick cash? Loan? Proposal? Whatever it is, let's talk. Make yourself comfortable."
"Closer to quick cash."
"Hmm, you need money. Fair enough. Artina Academy prices put the capital to shame. Mind telling me what for?"
"Straight to the point: living expenses. Butcher knife, carving knife, hand axe, iron shovel, etc. I need a lot."
All loans need a legit reason to build trust. I didn't have anything grand, so I was upfront: household goods.
But Rien's pupils dilated. Her flawless poker face cracked.
"B-butcher knife? Hand axe? And a shovel? Really necessary for daily life, Kyle?"
She must've been shocked hearing the infamous Kyle wants a dagger, hand axe, and shovel. I'd wonder if he plans to bury someone too.
And she knew my name already. Loren Company's info network at work. Only an hour since exam results, and they had the full scoop on new students.
I quickly added,
"You know my name?"
"Ah, sorry. Our info network's pretty quick. Probably rumors among nobles by now: that Kyle's enrolled at Artina. But I don't care about pasts, so relax. You're my customer now, Kyle. So, do you really need the knife, axe, and shovel?"
"If you're asking if I need 'em, yeah. Send someone over and they'll see—I've built a house in the forest. But I'm struggling without those tools."
"A house... in Masa?"
Rien's smiling face stiffened again. Poker face collapse number two.
But I pressed on.
"So, about 50 silver coins should do. Can you lend me that much?"
"Uh, um, surprising, but you wouldn't lie if it'd get caught. Of course we can lend it. But you're satisfied with just that?"
Regaining composure, Rien spread her fingers with a sweet smile, making an offer.
"How about 100 silver—roughly 1 gold? 50 silver means high interest. For gold amounts, we beat the scholarship foundation's rates. Barely scraping by? We'll give you the benefit."
"......"
"Honestly, 50 silver's tight, right...? Won't leave much after supplies. Academy shops nearby—snacks, fun, it adds up quick. And we're stocking great goods right now!"
Rien pulled a cute charm offensive, like it was a golden opportunity.
No chance. Fall for that adorable look, and you'd bleed money.
Not the first time at the company.
Rien Roderan handled the game's BM.
Go to the in-game shop: "How much do you need?", "First visit? Lucky you—double now!" selling premium gold currency. Gacha page: she unveils the sparkling roster, characters pop out. Purple for 4-star, gold for 5-star. Just like that blue-haired girl from some gacha game.
Trailer reactions were wild. Already hated her. They tuned her personality to masochistic merchant for that.
She's born with business genius.
She never loses on these offers. If she proposes, it's never a loss for her.
Look closely: interest rates differ, but 50 silver's total interest is less than 1 gold's. She's giving a fair choice: gold's value at a discount.
Academy prices make her point reasonable. Of course, I only planned to buy essentials.
"I'll pass. Prep 50 silver."
No reason to accept.
"Too bad. I'll get the contract."
Rien looked disappointed as she handed over the contract. I signed, took the silver pouch, and left without lingering to flex my new funds.
Wait for me...! My knives, axe, shovel! Mana stones!
Rien had been in business for years.
—"Our house passes succession to whoever builds the greatest merchant group."
Hearing her father's words, she ran from home, started the Loren Company—from a tiny stationery shop—and grew it to land a spot at Artina Academy.
All thanks to her commercial sense and talent. She never took losses.
She could appraise any deal's value, cut losses on bad ventures in time, maximize profits in talks.
...And sense gold's scent.
Of course, hardships abounded: fraudulent nobles, poison clause contracts, clan spies stealing ledgers, starving days with no food.
She overcame them all with wit.
In the process, her golden eye for value evolved near-superhuman.
"Rare."
Rien stared at the spot Kyle had left. Quiet office stillness.
Yet some strange aura lingered.
She reevaluated Kyle.
"Thought he was desperate for cash."
Desperate types show it: groveling, easily swayed. Offer more, they bite eagerly, regret borrowing too much later.
"Not him."
Kyle was different. He precisely gauged what he needed—no more, no less. No groveling.
First to flatly reject her persuasion.
He seemed to grasp borrower-lender dynamics. Deals form on mutual gain. He knew the merchant side cold.
"Heard he had a bad reputation."
Rien felt like she'd been smacked in the back of the head.
Rumors: womanizer, spineless, violent, vulgar. Nothing good.
When he entered, she planned to string him along for max profit.
But realizing the intel was dead wrong, she shifted gears.
Those types don't bite lures. Strong-willed, confident in judgment.
Like her, with her golden eye...
"Interesting..."
A kindred spirit after so long. Maybe he cultivated that image on purpose.
That's why Rien stared at the office for a while.
A dizzyingly sweet gold scent hung in the air, like wind gilded in gold, rippling through the room Kyle had left.
To Rien, it was,
"Haa..."
the richest she'd ever smelled...