Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Changing Times (2)
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It's a changing era.
Also a prosperous one.
The 63 Building, a symbol of skyscrapers, has been erected, and the middle class is steadily growing. Companies are ramping up debt left and right for overinvestment, and lines form as every corporation woos fresh college graduates.
This is boom time.
Chairman Yoo Seong-pil is no exception. The mad bull charge of Korea's conglomerates won't halt until the foreign exchange crisis hits, at which point they'll finally start building solid foundations.
'But not yet.'
After all, this overinvestment is what propelled Korea from a backward nation to a middle-income country, and eventually to a developed one.
"...The yen is just too cheap. Exports skyrocketed so much that U.S. companies were crying foul."
A low yen value means you can exchange few dollars for lots of yen. In other words, goods that are pricey in Japan become bargains in America.
Exports boom.
"Exactly. The U.S. has been racking up massive current account deficits. They won't just sit idly by. The America that feared nothing but the Soviet Union is now being nipped at the heels by some arrogant upstart... No, no country in the world would let that slide."
"Right. It's unprecedented from the start. Threatening America purely with economic power, without diplomatic or military backing... Hmm. That puts our country in a much stronger position, relatively speaking."
Kim Hae-ik naturally assumed the U.S. would adjust exchange rates. As a seasoned economic bureaucrat, he could easily envision that future.
"Exports will surge, and with all that foreign debt, we'll come out ahead. Is that what you were thinking, Ha-yeon?"
I nodded.
"Stocks will skyrocket too. Land prices will rise, but I'm not into land speculation."
Lately, Chairman Yoo Seong-pil keeps nagging me about why I'm bothering with stocks. Good thing. A few wins at speculation don't make me an expert...
"For someone who says that, you've been making a killing lately. That's why I got an earful last time. They thought I was leaking info to a kid."
Senior Presidential Secretary Kim Hae-ik tilted his head. From his perspective, Yoo Ha-yeon was a genius dropped from the sky.
Plus, she wasn't particularly moralistic, so no reason to shun speculation. Why dislike it, then?
"Honestly, it's just luck. I'm no god; I can be wrong sometimes."
The more the future twists, the more limited my future knowledge becomes for speculation. But others, seeing only results, expect some genius insight from me.
There isn't any.
Coldly put, it's just a flashy house of cards without foundation, a street hustler's trick.
I need something more solid for growth and power. That's the path to a safe, happy life.
"Fair enough. They say luck is the most important thing in business. You hate the uncertainty of speculation, where luck plays such a big role?"
"Yeah. Grandpa always said that. Find work that doesn't require luck if you're unlucky. I don't believe in luck as superstition, but..."
Though my very existence makes me doubt dismissing it as myth. My staunch materialist self from before reincarnation has vanished somewhere.
"Hmm. To be more honest, it's image protection? Something like that. I can't afford a single failure. Plenty of people love watching a genius fall."
As always, I mixed half-truth with half-lie and answered glibly. It's not entirely false, but the real reason is my limited capital for speculation.
"Anyway, you're thorough to a fault."
Secretary Kim Hae-ik shook his head in admiration, staring out at the street where snow fell heavily.
A strange worry clouded the wrinkled face of the middle-aged man.
"I'm starting to lose track of where this country is headed. I thought I knew the economy, but tech progress? That's beyond me..."
Is a changing era a bit scary for middle age? I decided to cheer him up with a playful remark.
"Don't worry. You'll be retiring by then anyway. Live long and enjoy your grandkids."
"Haha, thanks for the words. So it's your generation's turn now, the young ones."
"Eh, it doesn't really matter to me. Whatever I do now..."
-When the foreign exchange crisis hits, it'll crumble like sand.
"I'm still a kid. Heh. Plenty of time before the board is set for me to jump in."
I swallowed those inner words and flashed a bright smile.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Screech.
A sleek black sedan pulls up to the elementary school entrance. It gleams so obviously expensive.
-Whoa, a foreign luxury car!
Children's eyes sparkle and turn toward it. Passing male teachers glance over too, seeming even more genuine than the kids.
"Hmm, the school's decent enough."
Originally, Chairman Yoo Seong-pil wanted to send me to an elite private school for prestigious families... but I chose a slightly lower-tier private one on purpose.
Dealing with kids on my level would be tiring. My looks are already strikingly pretty now, and they'll only get better later—who knows how puberty-struck boys might react.
Crucially, I don't need networks with kids. By the time they have a voice in chaebol families, I'll already be chairman.
"Okay. Open the door."
The black car door slid open smoothly—top-quality, so barely any sound. Bought from Germany with my own money, by the way.
Men and their cars. Even as a girl now, same deal.
With my secretary's escort, I prepared to step out. Short legs meant I hopped down with a bounce.
"Ta-da."
As morning sunlight revealed my face, I smiled naturally and gave them a fresh grin. Minus the youth, pure chaebol heiress vibe—admiring exclamations rose here and there.
The kids' pure awe delighted me even more.
"I'll escort you, miss."
"Yeah. Hold my bag."
-Thud.
I handed my bag to the secretary.
"Yes, miss."
Her ponytail swung to one side as she bent at the waist. My personal secretary, gifted by Grandpa two years ago.
From a rough family background and female, college was a stretch originally. But Secretary General covered tuition in exchange for her graduating and joining the office.
She listens well because of it. Talented subordinates are common; loyal talented ones, rare.
A fresh elite grad from a top university—pretty too—bending to run my errands.
Kya, this is power.
I rarely carry anything myself now. Secretary handles bags.
Even if born a girl from the start, I'd probably skip luxury bags. Just have secretaries or guards tote them.
Crossbags don't suit suits anyway.
"Yawn, boring."
After the entrance ceremony wrapped up, I entered my first-grade class. Kids glanced at me amid the buzz, but their innocence kept them from feeling too distant.
Tiny wooden desks and chairs. A sight I hadn't seen in ages.
"Wait outside for now."
"Yes, miss."
Sending the secretary out, I stretched my legs and lounged sideways in the chair.
'Gotta replace all these chairs.'
A bit uncomfortable.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I didn't just study the past year. I dipped into Chairman Yoo Seong-pil's semiconductor ventures to prove my chops, bonding with key researchers.
Mostly young ones. Older folks might retire by the time I poach talent.
Prepped modest capital for the Three Lows Boom too. Used future knowledge for land deals or chaebol info edges—money poured in.
...Way too easily.
'Definitely pre-IMF; difficulty is worlds apart.'
With seed money, brains, business sense—anyone gets rich. Even without future knowledge, I'd have made bank.
Afforded a little hobby with the earnings. Gotta relax sometime.
"Ah, miss, you're here?"
A young man with dark circles under his eyes bowed. Clutching a Famicon—rare pro programmer these days.
"Yeah, I'm here, President. And... now that I'm a student, I won't drop by often."
Early school dismissal post-ceremony; I swung by my company for fun.
That's right. My company. I bought a game studio.
...Why.
Games are fun. If Dad hadn't died, I'd have lived off playing forever.
Got a plan too. Post-1983 Atari shock wrecked gaming; Nintendo starts legendary run this year.
Mario in September, Zelda next year?
Can't resist.