Chapter 46
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Open Your Eyes
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"How do you make money with stocks?"
Anyone who's ever taken an interest in stocks has heard this question—and probably asked it themselves.
Of course, the answer is always the same.
"You buy low and sell high, obviously."
Simple answer, but anything but simple in practice.
No one knows which stocks will rise, or when, or how. Even if you buy one, there's no guarantee it'll go up.
But that's okay.
Such worries end today.
Because you've got me—the Hero of the Moon and a stock market master.
"Today, I'll walk you through various examples to show you exactly how and what stocks to buy."
Of course, if you're asking which ones, it's obviously Top□ and No□pia.
The blue-chip giants of modern Korea.
Graphs shooting straight up like crazy even now.
No reason not to buy.
But I can't just leave it at that. The point of a lecture isn't handing out fish—it's teaching how to fish.
"First up: What money should you use for stocks?"
One Magical Girl raises her hand at my question.
"Money you can afford to lose."
I shot it down immediately.
"Wrong."
"But why? Shouldn't you at least have some Magical leeway before diving in?"
Using money you can afford to lose? That's nonsense. That kind of half-hearted thinking is what keeps people from making money in stocks.
"No desperation at all. Not even a speck. It makes people half-ass it."
There's no special reason why great literature poured out of Russia.
They were just on the brink of death.
Russian writers scribbled with their last breaths because they were really about to die.
Die for love, freedom, honor?
Nah, the Russian writers were really gonna die.
Stocks are the same. You gotta bet your entire fortune for a sure shot, buying each share with your soul on the line.
Pain interacts with creation, just like it does with stocks.
But using money you can afford to lose?
Half-measures are worse than none.
Is there even such a thing as money you can afford to lose?
"If it's money you can afford to lose, give it to me instead!"
"Ah, uh... I was too hasty."
I let it slide generously. If you don't know, that's natural. Especially for mental cases like these.
Anyway, I opened my mouth again.
"The stocks you need to do are national market trades."
And sure enough, another Magical Girl raises her hand with a question.
"Don't we usually do U.S. markets?"
Eh, fair reaction.
U.S. markets are safer than the national one by comparison. The longer you hold, the more it trends up, almost guaranteed.
"I think Magical long-term plays there are the way to secure steady gains."
But there's a fatal flaw.
"So while you're making 10% in a year, others are raking in 20% a day?"
"Th-that can't be!"
It takes too damn long to see results.
"Plus, long-term doesn't mean steady climbs—charts crash at the drop of a hat. Can you endure that?"
"Uh... that's tough."
Even if it trends up overall, the road's full of massive bumps.
Earnings reports.
Natural disasters.
Earth-pulled lotteries.
That asshole talking about going to Mars.
Bite the wrong one, and you're stuck in endless waiting with no payoff. Even if you profit, taxes take a bite.
But the national market's different.
"That's why I'm recommending national trades."
One day of smart trading can net more than a U.S. long-term hold. Tax-free, naturally.
And that's not all. If it looks like a loss, dump it that day and jump into something new.
"B-but isn't that too risky?"
"I won't deny it."
Of course it's risky.
Danger lurks everywhere.
Especially November on the national market—super dangerous. Other risky months: March, August, July, December, February, May, October, January, April, June, and September.
But.
"The returns outweigh the risks by miles."
Meaning plenty of opportunities.
Risk and reward always scale together.
"Plus, I've got your back."
With my lecture thrown in, we can minimize even the risks.
"No need to worry."
So no reason not to do national trades.
But despite my explanation, one Magical Girl clung to her long-term dreams.
"Wait. What about Magical dividend stocks on the national market for long-term holds? The dividends add up nicely."
Sure, dividends look decent on paper.
Hold the stock, and regardless of ups and downs, you lock in some cash.
But no.
"Nope. National market means day trades only."
This is the dividend trap.
"You don't trust dividend stocks on the national market."
"Why? Dividends hit your Magical account big or small—it's yours once it's there."
"Like hell it's yours."
You fucking idiot.
The curse almost slipped out. I'd gotten heated without realizing.
Calming down, I flashed a faint smile.
"They might claw it back anytime."
"No... way..."
The Magical Girl trailed off, deflated. Not fully convinced, but she wouldn't push further.
Good sign.
Time to wrap up the lecture.
No more objections, so I addressed everyone slowly.
"The key to the national market is themes."
For national trades, spot the hot topics and pounce fast.
"Let's look at an example. Say Writer Won-gang wins the Nobel in Literature again."
I paused for breath, then continued.
"Which stock rises then?"
Magical Girls started tossing out answers.
"Since it's the Magical Nobel, Magical book-related stocks should climb."
"Magical paper companies supplying Magical binding could rise too."
Not wrong.
Book stocks get the first hit. Structure demands it.
But not the perfect answer.
"Not great choices."
I shook my head.
She voiced her doubt.
"Why? They definitely rise."
"True, they do rise."
But, I continued.
"Hit the daily limit, trading halts—you can't buy even if you want. By the time it reopens, it's peaked and primed to drop."
"Ah, got it."
Real national traders don't think one-dimensionally. Only rank amateurs make that mistake.
"So we buy stocks that rise steadily enough to trade reliably."
National trades demand national eyes.
A bit farther out.
Different from the herd.
Way more complex.
"The writer's name is Won-gang, right?"
A name meaningless in stock terms, maybe.
But through national eyes, it means something.
"The associated theme? Like this."
Won means "one" in English.
One shortens to Han.
"Han River."
I smirked at their uncomprehending faces, unable to grasp even this simple logic.
"Everyone, what does Han River make you think of?"
This time, they had some ideas: picnic spots, metaphors for Korea's miracle, land price booms, Magical suicide hotspots.
But not this keyword.
They still lacked national eyes.
I gazed at them with pity, murmuring the missing word softly.
"Monsters."
Monsters.
The Han River's poster child. Famous enough for a movie.
So, predict rising stocks from Han River + monsters themes.
Through national eyes.
"Obviously, Sam□ Publishing, distributors of Han River Monster books!"
Pick solid national-market plays tied to Han River themes.
Then one Magical Girl spoke up.
"Anything besides Sam□ Publishing?"
"If nothing else, buy Ka□o stock."
Ka□o stock and Han River.
Seem unrelated, but deeply connected.
Ka□o makes shareholders wanna jump in the Han River.
A true Han River theme stock.
But the Magical Girls looked pained, clutching their heads.
"The national market's this hard...?"
"The thinking's on another level... My head's splitting... Even monster hits weren't this bad..."
"Not judging by Magical earnings or value?"
It hurt my heart, but unavoidable.
To gain Sharingan, you sacrifice loved ones. For national eyes, you kill common sense.
So I pressed on with the lecture.
"Alright, next example."
Believing they'd overcome this growth pain one day and awaken their national eyes.
I believe in them all.
Isn't that what a hero does?
"Oil news popped up recently too, right?"
Mentioned yearly even before I got isekai'd—still a WWE staple.
But national eyes work here too.
"Everyone know the well's name?"
Overplayed, so they nailed it quick: Red Crab, Vermilion Bird, Defense, Whale.
"So which stocks rise?"
"Magical oil or Magical marine stocks!"
One answered confidently.
I shook my head confidently.
"Close, but no."
"Huh?"
Not the national-eye answer.
"Pulmu□ stock rises."
"What the hell why?!"
She grabbed her head, baffled.
"Pulmu□'s star: Red Crab Ramen."
"Ah."
Quick enlightenment, at least.
Progress this time—some nodded along.
A little more prodding, and they'd get it.
Soon, they'd see the world through national eyes.
Pride swelling, I spoke.
"Okay, next example."
Wishing for all to awaken their national eyes.