Chapter 196: Settlement
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 196: Settlement
I enjoyed a leisurely vacation in the finest suite the hotel had to offer.
Technically, the hotel didn't provide it; Park Yu-jeong did.
She really is sharp.
While I was only focused on the ruins, Park Yu-jeong showed the initiative to go out and buy the entire hotel immediately.
Why didn't I think of that?
It’s a bit frustrating, but her buying the hotel was a huge help.
To put it bluntly, if Barbat had owned the hotel and decided to block the entrance, it would have been quite a headache.
As I lay on the sofa, lazily sipping wine, the four people who had searched the ruins with me walked in.
"Yahoo~ Are you satisfied with our hotel's service?"
"It’s not yours anymore, is it?"
"Ah, right."
She had made a clean deal with Hera, selling both the ruins and the hotel.
In this world, traveling between countries isn't easy, so managing property abroad is a hassle.
"How much did you sell it for?"
"I didn't mark it up much. Maybe five times what I paid? Just some pocket change."
She said she bought it for twice its original value, so she sold it for ten times that.
But now that the ruins have been discovered, it’s worth far more than that.
As everyone moved to sit on the sofas, Park Yu-jeong suddenly remembered something and started grumbling at me.
"Oh! By the way, why didn't you tell me you were mass-producing all the bathhouse materials?"
"I couldn't mass-produce the Beaks... though."
"You were producing everything except the Beaks. It’s a good thing I found out late, or I would've lost money."
In the game, you can own fields or villages to cultivate materials.
Naturally, I owned a farm that couldn't even be compared to the one in the game, and I’ve been diligently stockpiling materials until now.
At the time, some things were impossible to cultivate, but I didn't set up a money-hungry research lab for nothing.
Our lab has three primary goals.
First, the mass production of materials to treat the Whitening Phenomenon. Second, the commercialization of recipes I only know through game knowledge. And third, the mass production of materials for specific events, like this one.
Although progress on the first goal is still sluggish, the others are yielding decent results.
"You didn't lose money, did you?"
"Of course not."
Park Yu-jeong gave a bright smile.
Only Park Yu-jeong and Rebecca know that I’ve been hoarding materials in a warehouse.
Since a supply agreement with Barbat hasn't been signed yet, the prices of the materials are skyrocketing, and Park Yu-jeong will surely sell them at a premium.
"Now then, more importantly. Since we sold the ruins, it’s time to pay out dividends to our shareholders."
As I stood up to announce the exciting dividend payout, Angelica gave an awkward smile.
"Yeon-woo, you're the one who found the ruins. I didn't really do anything..."
"No, I didn't find them. We found them."
"Still..."
"Why are you being so picky? We split the shares at a reasonable 10% each. If you don't want it, should I take it?"
When Park Yu-jeong chimed in, Angelica looked troubled but eventually agreed to accept it.
Honestly, Angelica is just too kind for her own good.
"So, how much did you sell it for?"
Park Yu-jeong looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.
Just as she sold the hotel because she couldn't manage it, the ruins had to be sold to Barbat anyway.
Park Yu-jeong understood this and requested that if I were to sell, I should get the highest price possible.
I gave a thin smile and held up three fingers.
"30 million G?"
"300 million G?"
"3... 30 billion?"
Chika, you're the granddaughter of a tycoon; what do you mean, 30 million G?
Honestly, these third-generation heirs. They just swipe their cards without looking at the price, so they have no idea what the market rate is.
Come to think of it, all four of them here are rich.
Park Yu-jeong is self-made, but the other three—Fraser, Graham, and Amagi—are all high-profile third-generation socialites.
I stared at Shizuka, who hadn't said a word, but she only shot back a look that said, 'What are you looking at?'
These silver-spoon brats who don't know the value of money.
"Three..."
"Isn't 30 billion too cheap? We could get at least 100 billion... Is it 300 billion? Right?"
Let me finish a sentence.
Park Yu-jeong, who had at least guessed a somewhat close figure, stared at me intensely with greedy eyes.
"3 trillion."
"......Eh?"
"Trillion? Not billion?"
Everyone's eyes went wide at the staggering amount.
Even Park Yu-jeong’s jaw dropped, as it was far beyond what she had imagined, and Shizuka’s beautiful eyes widened as well.
If money can't solve it, consider whether you simply don't have enough.
The ancestors were right about everything.
Even Shizuka, who acted uninterested, was shocked.
3 trillion G. In Korean Won, that’s 30 trillion.
It’s about one-seventh of the Barbat government's annual budget, an amount that could slap most major corporations across the face.
"Is that... even possible?"
"It was possible, so I took it. Since it’s such a massive sum, it’ll be paid in installments, but I’ll make sure your dividends are taken care of first as the money comes in."
"Since it's 10%... 300 billion?"
Chika, having done the math, muttered in a daze.
"Yeon-woo, I love you!"
"Wait, let me finish explaining first."
I fended off Park Yu-jeong, who had jumped up to cling to me and shower me with kisses, and looked at each of them in turn.
"As the money comes in, I'll deposit it into personal accounts for Park Yu-jeong and Angelica."
"Is it really okay for me to receive such a large sum?"
"Just think of it as good luck. But even if it was luck, in the end, you and I—we—found the ruins. Not just me alone."
When I emphasized the "we," Angelica finally looked a bit happier and nodded.
"Next, Chika. I'll give you the money, but let me ask one favor."
"What is it?"
"If your father asks for it, don't give it to him. Use it only to make yourself stronger."
I wondered if Roman would really reach for his daughter's hard-earned money, but that man has such a severe inferiority complex that he’d do anything to get stronger.
And Chika is the type of girl who would give him anything if he asked.
If she just showed a bit of that 'mad dog' tenacity to Roman, he wouldn't be able to say anything, but she craves her father's love too much.
I was prepared to be scolded for interfering in her personal life, but Chika thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Next, Shi—"
"I don't need it."
When I turned my gaze to her, Shizuka spoke indifferently and stood up to leave.
"No, you do need it."
"......"
Shizuka stopped in her tracks and looked back over her shoulder.
Her beautiful crimson jewel-like eyes were devoid of emotion, incredibly cold.
"I said you need it."
"Who are you to decide what I need?"
"I told you, I'm going to fix things for you."
Shizuka glared at me for a moment before returning to sit on the sofa.
Park Yu-jeong muttered, "If she was going to do that, why did she act so cool?" but Shizuka ignored the provocation.
"Once the money comes in, I'll set up a dummy account and send it to you."
"Why?"
"Because you'll need money that isn't influenced by your family."
"......"
It was written all over her face that she had a lot to say but was holding back because of the others.
We have to fight the Amagi family in the future, so we need plenty of war funds.
I didn't intend for Chika and Park Yu-jeong to be involved, but since things turned out this way, I hope they’ll fight alongside us.
The Amagi family is just that massive.
In the game, Akito’s 'coincidence magic' would constantly trigger—he’d coincidentally find a clue, coincidentally gain an ally, coincidentally seize an opportunity—but I don't have that kind of magic.
I know how he won, so I can guide things, but I don't expect everything to fall perfectly into place to save Shizuka like it did for Akito.
I have to mobilize everything I have, just like this time.
Creeak—
As I was contemplating how to bring up the next topic, the door opened and Yukina, Bukgeuk-jwa, and Akane walked in.
"Phew—it was even better than I expected."
The three of them had just come from bathing and using the sauna in the ruins, and their damp hair looked quite alluring.
While I was stuck in the Barbat prison, the school trip had long since ended, so I had requested Yggdrasil to call the three of them here.
Having fully enjoyed the effects of the ruins, Bukgeuk-jwa was acting cocky, saying she felt like she could beat me this time.
I told you, you need to fix your weaknesses before worrying about your strengths. If you don't fix that, you'll never beat me.
"Unnie, how was the sauna?"
"It was the best. The sweat trickling down a slender neck, the flushed skin... it was thrilling."
Was it the ruins' effect, or just the fact that she enjoyed it with other women?
At Park Yu-jeong’s question, Bukgeuk-jwa hugged herself and shivered.
"Too bad you couldn't use the sauna. It’s really great there."
As expected, she didn't bring it up for nothing.
Park Yu-jeong smirked at Yukina.
"......? I went in, though?"
"What? How...?"
You can't use the sauna unless you're a virgin or celibate, so when Yukina said she had used it, Park Yu-jeong looked at me in confusion.
In an eroge, how many heroines who have been by the protagonist's side for a long time would still be virgins?
In the first place, the condition for the sauna was ridiculous.
It meant it could only be used by new characters or characters whose routes had become completely impossible, which would make the event itself pointless.
Unless the developers were insane or had significantly impaired brain function, they wouldn't make it like that.
But it happened.
When the game first came out, it really was like that, and the developers got absolutely trashed by players who chose the Barbat route.
After that, they hurriedly released an update adding a hidden item that allowed anyone to use it.
When I held out my hand, Yukina handed over a small rectangular tablet.
"What's that?"
"An item that will double the ruins' revenue."
When I grinned, Park Yu-jeong understood without further explanation and smirked back.
Who among the 12 Zodiacs would still be a virgin or celibate?
With that much power, skill, and money—and they’re likely not that young—anyone still holding onto their virginity would probably be impotent.
Seeing as not a single one of them came despite my invitation, it’s 100% certain.
Even if they aren't part of the 12 Zodiacs, anyone with a modicum of ability is probably getting laid, which would cause the usage rate to plummet.
But with this pass, even if you're a total slut, you're good to go!
Well, advertising it like that would probably ruin the business. Not that I plan to.
"I’d like my people to use it too. How much would it cost per use?"
"Well... I think we should charge at least 100 million G."
"Heh—that’s expensive."
"It is. Infusing this with the power to deceive the ruins takes an enormous amount of money and effort. Plus, it’s a consumable."
"I see. It would be expensive then."
Glancing at the item in my hand, which didn't look like a consumable at all, Park Yu-jeong chuckled.
I didn't get 3 trillion for nothing.
Starting from the ruins' usage fees, the derivative benefits—tourism, international relations, Barbat’s power—are immense.
And most of that money, excluding the dividends for the girls, will be reinvested into Barbat.
While Barbat enters a boom period, it must also tighten its belt.
I will return the money I received and develop Barbat in Hera’s name, making her the true ruler.
In the game, there’s a system for managing a village.
It’s a system where Akito saves a village, gets recognized by the government, and does various things. I plan to take that system and scale it up just a little bit to run an entire nation.
Well—I don't plan on working myself to death over it; I’ll leave most of it to Hera.
It’s up to Hera’s ability to see how well she can use funds that aren't influenced by political opposition to develop Barbat.
I don't need to worry about Barbat’s future anymore...
I looked around at the people gathered in the room.
As I stared at them in silence, the girls, who had been chatting amongst themselves, grew quiet and looked at me.
"We’re going to war soon. Can you all help me?"
"Again? Where this time? Since you’ve conquered Barbat, is Malta next?"
Park Yu-jeong chuckled and took a sip of her drink.
"The Amagi family."
"......"
The weight of the name 'Amagi' couldn't even be compared to Barbat.
Even Park Yu-jeong flinched, her eyes turning sharp with tension, and everyone looked at Shizuka.
"Don't overstep. I will be the one to take my revenge."
Shizuka radiated a bloodlust so intense it felt like she might cut my throat at any moment.
Come to think of it, she had the same reaction when I said I’d help Yukina.
Reminiscing about the past, I smirked and met Shizuka’s eyes.
"You didn't think you could take down the Amagi family all by yourself with just a single sword, did you?"
"......"
"You will be the one to take your revenge. You. By using me."
Ultimately, the one taking revenge is Shizuka.
Whether she cuts off her father's head, takes over the Amagi family, or smashes it to pieces, it’s her decision.
I am merely a card she can play.
An invincible card that can crush anything, that is.