Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Value of 1 Pound (4)
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The reason I'm going through all this hassle to acquire Barings Bank is simple.
I can buy it.
I have the money, and what was normally unattainable power has hit the market in a purchasable form... There was no reason not to snap it up.
Money is the foundational commodity of capitalist society, but it's never an absolute medium of exchange. You can't do politics without money, but having a ton of it doesn't guarantee you'll win an election...
...Truth be told, Barings Bank has a lot of fat to trim.
It's not Lehman Brothers level, but swallowing it whole would still give me indigestion. I need to carve out the junk under the guise of restructuring and keep only the prime cuts.
Of course, the biggest issue is the people. There's just no one decent to use.
Anyone who's played those old Romance of the Three Kingdoms games knows what I mean. You steamroll the dumb AI at the start, but after a while, you win battles but stagnate because you lack generals to capture cities...
That's exactly where I was now.
"Seriously, the lack of reliable people is the problem... Si-hyeon, got any friends you can recommend?"
"Recommend? Uh..."
Lee Si-hyeon flinched, her body trembling as if an old memory had surfaced.
"Haha, you could recommend your siblings too. They haven't started working yet, so it'd be easy to clean up their backgrounds. Want to send them to study in the UK?"
"N-No, that's fine. On second thought, I don't really want my siblings working in a place like this..."
"What? What's wrong with our company?"
I asked in surprise, and Si-hyeon hesitated before mumbling her answer.
"Come on... you know the rumors? One wrong word and you end up buried somewhere in the East Sea."
...That wouldn't be efficient. This isn't the 21st century with CCTVs everywhere nationwide.
"Ju-eun handles those kinds of employees anyway."
"...That's exactly the problem with how you talk. Sometimes when I hear you say stuff like that, it gives me chills. You're doing it on purpose, right? When in reality, you couldn't hurt a fly."
I shook my head with a grumble.
"Jeez, I really need to step up employee morale training. It's slipping."
The root issue was dragging ordinary hires from Daeha Securities into this shady secret society vibe. I needed exceptional talent from the get-go...
Even with Grandpa's permission, the talent pool I could develop within Daeha Group's framework had limits.
That's why I was busting my ass to spread influence worldwide. Acquiring Barings would strengthen my foothold in Europe too.
"Yawn..."
So, yeah, that's how it is...
Guess I'll catch a quick nap first.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day.
Out of pride, the UK refused to exit the ERM. They also refused to give up on bailing out Barings Bank.
Instead, like Sweden, they jacked up short-term rates to 20% and tried to forcibly stem the pound's liquidity.
"Knew it."
I snorted. Still think Alpha Fund is weaker than Quantum Fund, huh?
But what can you do? Right now, we're on the same side.
📰 Breaking News [George Soros Joins UK Frontlines! $12 Billion Poured into Pound Shorting!] 📰 Breaking News [Sweden Collapses, Finally Announces ERM Exit...] 📰 Breaking News [Hedge Funds Regroup, Declare War on the Pound] 📰 Breaking News [Pound Short Positions Estimated at $90 Billion...] -Rustle.
The crisp, cool feel of paper brushed my fingertips.
It had been ages since I'd enjoyed a newspaper with coffee at home, and it brought delightful news. The meticulously set-up dominoes were toppling one by one toward the UK.
Now... it was time to topple the pound.
.
.
.
As I wore a subtle smile of satisfaction, Nanny sidled up and asked,
"Miss, it's vacation now, but... are you sure you don't want to go to middle school? Playing outside is fine, but don't overdo it."
Her worried eyes scanned me up and down. She didn't say it, but she was clearly fretting.
...Yeah, I came home exhausted yesterday.
"I'm fine. I've already got permission not to go unless it's for entrance ceremonies or exams... Just pop in briefly then."
I hugged Nanny and buried my face in her embrace. If she still saw me as a kid, it was okay to act like one.
"Besides... I hate going to school. It's such a hassle, and I don't even want to wear the uniform."
Waaah. Ha-yeon doesn't wanna go to school.
"..."
-Sigh.
Nanny stroked my hair and let out a soft sigh. A smile like mine played on her lips.
"I'm not well-educated, but... I have a vague sense that you're up to something big. Right?"
I hadn't told her anything because it might put her in danger, but she'd picked up on it from years of raising me.
'Of course. Nanny's always been sharp.'
I'd heard she ran one of Daeha Group's subsidiaries pretty well back in my past life, helping Dad. Sure, the environment had changed completely now, but that brain of hers hadn't gone anywhere.
"...Yeah."
I didn't deny that much.
"Don't push yourself too hard. Your happiness is the most important thing..."
"I'm happy right now."
"Sometimes, living like an ordinary person isn't so bad. Run too fast, and you might miss the precious things around you."
Snuggled in Nanny's arms, who spoke like my mother would have, I pondered.
Ordinary life, huh.
I'd once wished to be born an ordinary girl. Being hated by my dad had left a deep scar from childhood.
But...
"I'm fine, Nanny. I like my extraordinary self."
"Really?"
I nodded. She had terrible timing.
If I'd just suffered a massive failure, maybe. But telling a gambler who'd hit a royal straight flush to watch out for addiction? Good luck with that.
And I was someone who could at least pull two pair every hand.
"I'm so happy right now. I could live like this forever."
At the very least, I was blissfully content now.
I freaking loved money and power.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The pound's value yo-yoed up and down. The Bank of England was desperately propping it up.
Raising rates wasn't enough; they were dumping treasury funds to buy pounds outright... How long could that last?
The Bank of England's vaults weren't infinite.
Meanwhile, I smirked as I skimmed the contract.
It was the acquisition agreement for Barings Bank.
"Shouldn't this be in dollars instead of pounds?"
The pound was about to crater soon. Better to take it in dollars to preserve value.
Yoo Seon-jun, hearing my jab over the phone, clicked his tongue. He was at Berlin Bank in Germany, talking via international call.
-"Man, that's cold."
"Cold? Barings is the one that ballooned a $700 million loss to $1 billion. Oh, what about my money?"
A disbelieving mutter came through the line.
-"...Why is it your money?"
Seon-jun said it but didn't outright deny it. They'd delayed catching Nick Leeson, letting losses explode.
And I had to cover those losses, so yeah, it was my damage. Sure, a chunk of it I'd already clawed back from Leeson, but...
That's that, and this is this.
Who told them to deal with me?
"The funds at Berlin Bank might fall a bit short... For now, transfer the money from Switzerland there to cover it."
-"What about the pounds?"
"Keep the $10 billion there as is. Moving in and out would rack up losses."
I mulled it over, shuffling funds mentally. Good thing I'd prepped ahead; this bank was normally too big for my league.
To maximize liquidity, efficiency was key. Especially with Soviet collapse eating up cash.
"Got permission to use Daeha Group's overseas branches, but... still feels short. Wish I had more money."
Money's never enough no matter how much you make, and there's always endless places to spend it without getting bored.
Of course, when I need to spend, I don't skimp. I can always earn more.
A moment later.
-"...Oh, hold on."
Seon-jun stepped away briefly, then came back sounding thrilled.
-"Hey, Ha-yeon. Word from Barings. If they don't secure bailout funds by tomorrow, they'll accept the acquisition offer."
The surrender from what was once the UK's biggest bank.
A thrilling rush made my whole body shiver.
'Finally...'
I barely kept my lips from curling up as I asked,
"How much bailout have they gathered so far?"
-"$200 million or so."
"Hahaha! Yeah, that's about right. After all the effort I put in."
And one more day passed.
The bailout funds never materialized...
Barings Bank was mine.