Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Preliminary Preparations (1)
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I finished up my heated lovemaking in Haruka's room just as the sun reached its zenith.
In other words, it was lunchtime.
Hmm. For a storm of sex, it had been a pretty short session (I'd arrived at 9 a.m.).
Anyway, I headed outside to get some food for Haruka, who'd passed out midway through our romp.
And that's when I saw her.
"...Did you finish your business with my daughter?"
Miharu-san was staring at me with an unexpectedly icy expression.
No, to be precise, I knew exactly why she looked so cold.
'Haruka's moans were pretty loud. No way they didn't hear everything.'
Realizing that, I had a brief moment of oh shit before—
"Haa... Just eat your lunch already."
Miharu-san clearly knew there was nothing she could do about the relationship between me and Haruka. She let out a deep sigh and said that much.
Of course, unlike before, it wasn't polite speech but casual—and her eyes had that subtle trash-can glare...
Anyway, after finishing the meal she'd prepared, I showed her the contract and explained what I had in mind.
"Yaaawn... Mom, you're already here?"
"I was worried about you... Haruka! What the hell kind of outfit is that?!"
Midway through, Haruka burst in wearing her reverse bunny girl getup, interrupting the explanation with a bit of chaos.
Once I'd somehow calmed things down, I explained everything again to Haruka and Miharu-san.
After I'd roughly outlined what I wanted Haruka to do, her answer came immediately.
"I'll do it."
"Haruka. Think this through carefully..."
"I don't want Mom working herself to death either."
Miharu-san pressed a hand to her forehead at Haruka's words, apparently realizing she couldn't argue, and nodded.
"Fine... if that's what you really want..."
Thanks to that, I got Haruka to sign the contract in no time.
As I slipped the signed document into my bag, I asked,
"Ah. Before we get started, if there's any equipment or manpower you need, let me know. I'll procure it beforehand."
I'd seen supercomputers before, but I had no clue what exactly was required. That was expert territory.
So, I figured the best person to ask was Haruka, the biggest expert I knew.
She pondered my question for a moment before making one specific request.
"A programmer."
A programmer?
Her response was so far off from what I'd expected that I was puzzled for a second, but her explanation soon made it clear why she needed one.
There was a lot of detail, but it boiled down to this one line.
"I'm good with computer parts and setups, but detailed programming? Not my strong suit."
It couldn't be helped. Programming and hardware tinkering were totally different beasts.
You might ask what the difference is, but honestly, I had no idea.
In my previous life, I'd asked a programmer buddy something similar and got a two-hour lecture, so I just knew they were different.
'That guy's eyes were terrifying back then...'
Anyway, I nodded at Haruka's words and started wondering where I could find programming talent.
But that worry cleared up fast too...
"If it's okay... I know someone. Want me to introduce you?"
Out of nowhere, Miharu-san offered to make the connection.
No way. How?
To put it bluntly, I hadn't pegged Miharu-san as someone with industry contacts at all.
"Well..."
To my skepticism, she explained that at one of the houses where she worked as a housekeeper, there was a kid who knew programming—or something like it.
I pushed back that we couldn't just hire anyone, no matter what.
"She claims her skills are good enough to take commissions from foreign companies."
That was enough to earn some trust.
The words "foreign companies" had that subtle ring of credibility.
I mulled it over briefly before deciding it'd be worth meeting. I asked Miharu-san when we could arrange it—and got another surprise.
"Um, could we do a phone call instead? She has androphobia."
What the...?
"She went through something traumatic, so facing men is tough."
"Hmm..."
If that was the reason, I could understand it...
I thought for a moment before telling Miharu-san,
"We need to verify skills first anyway. If she has a portfolio or samples, have her send them over."
I handed over my email and phone number as I said it.
For the record, that phone was my dedicated line—Miyuki had gifted it to me because she wanted to hear my voice every day.
Anyway, once I'd relayed everything, we chatted a bit more before I left Haruka's place.
A few days later.
After reviewing the portfolio from the person Miharu-san mentioned, I could tell she was the real deal.
Precisely, after getting input from an expert (a friend of Miyuki's husband).
Ah, how'd I get that input?
I hypnotized Miyuki's husband, had him invite his friend out for a meal "as husbands do," then hit the friend with hypnosis the second he showed up.
Once I checked under hypnosis, yeah—she was legit.
'If an industry pro says so, she's gotta be top-tier.'
So I had Miharu-san pass along that I wanted to talk to the programmer by phone. She kept her word.
Even better, she suggested not phone, but in person.
[I told her this was her chance to push past her androphobia by meeting men for business. Ah, but I'll be there for the face-to-face too.]
Looked like Miharu-san had put in serious effort to convince her.
'If this contract works out well, I need to reward her properly.'
I thought that to myself, thanked her, and wrapped up the call.
Just as I hung up.
Someone who'd been watching the whole scene spoke up.
"Another married woman this time? Puu..."
It was Miyuki, who'd been driving right beside me.
I gave her—not quite an excuse, but an explanation—for her puffed cheeks and sulky expression.
"No, this one's really just business."
Maybe because of those hypnosis-made girlfriends from before, Miyuki was on high alert for stuff like this.
Ah, FYI, most of those girlfriends fizzled out once the hypnosis wore off.
Except one—the hypnosis barely lasted a week.
Anyway, why was I with Miyuki? Simple.
"Enough with the weird misunderstandings. You set up the meeting with the power plant chief, right?"
"Yes. All confirmed."
It was prep for Bitcoin mining.
Why meet the power plant chief for mining prep?
No need to complicate it.
Mining guzzles electricity. So, cheap power is key.
And the easiest way to score cheap electricity?
'Hypnosis and bribes.'
Training my hypnosis lately, I'd realized it worked even better in situations with built-in plausibility.
Take the current setup: Under hypnosis, offer cheap rates in exchange for a bribe, then actually hand it over—the effect lasts longer, and acceptance feels natural.
Hell, midway through, she might even take the bribe willingly, no hypnosis needed.
Anyway, that's why I planned to build the factory near the power plant.
Well, truth be told, the absolute cheapest way is basing ops overseas where power's dirt cheap...
'But this body's not free to roam, and for quick jobs, it's a hassle.'
Until I had solid middle management to handle it, doing it myself was easier. Plus...
'If the snow woman handles cooling—which eats up a huge chunk of power costs—mining in Japan still nets profit.'
Of course, just for starters. Once we scale, shift to cheap-power spots like Chinese provinces or other countries.
Miyuki listened to my plan with evident fascination.
"Listening to you, Master, it doesn't feel like chatting with my son's friend at all. More like my husband's buddy."
"Calling me smart?"
"Hehe. Yes. Smart—and totally convinced this thing's gonna skyrocket someday."
Her words made me inwardly flinch a bit.
I did know it'd moon in the future.
Of course, I didn't let any newbie panic show.
Instead, I let out a deep sigh and muttered,
"Wish I knew the future a little myself."
This was genuine.
What if past-life me had known the future?
In that daily hell of death and screams, would I have envisioned something brighter? Or jumped deeper into the brass's grand designs?
Eh, pointless what-ifs.
Way past that point now.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, Miyuki—who'd overheard—suddenly pulled over to the shoulder.
"Huh, it's just a bit further—Mmff?!"
She unbuckled, grabbed my face with her slender hand, and pressed her lips to mine.
I stared at Miyuki, suddenly kissing me, with brief bewilderment.
But I quickly got the gist of why.
'Comfort? Or pity?'
Probably my old past-life dead-fish stare had slipped out.
With eyes like that, her reaction made total sense.
Just gazing into them could make anyone think quitting life sounded fine.
Whatever in the past life—now? Not a chance. No need to explain.
I savored the kiss with Miyuki, thinking that.
-Knock knock.
[Anyone there?]