Chapter 20. Geumseong Branch (5)
Episode 20. Golden Star Tournament (5)
Two days of rest were granted before the finals. After changing clothes, I went to see my second brother—carrying a hefty bag, no less.
Knock knock
"I'm coming in."
"Enter."
I opened the door. My brother, as if he'd been waiting, gestured toward the sofa from where he sat.
"Take a seat."
I settled into the plush sofa. On the coffee table before me sat an elegant tea set and pastries.
He'd anticipated my visit.
'Sharp as ever.'
"So, have you decided to go into business with me?"
"I'll need to hear more first."
"Can't you just trust your little brother?"
"Pfft. That's exactly what swindlers say."
"Glad to see you've got a good eye for people. At least you won't get scammed out there!"
We both burst into laughter.
"If the North is to survive, we'll need to find a magic stone vein in the Bukcheon Mountains."
"Do you even understand the magnitude of what you're saying?"
"Of course."
The Bukcheon Mountains were a living treasure trove—home to rare monster pelts, priceless medicinal herbs, and endless veins of high-quality ore.
But.
Until now, the North's yields and production had been negligible.
"Then you must also know why it hasn't worked."
Monsters were one issue, but the true problem was the relentless cold.
Sending laborers into blizzard-stricken lands, making them work, and transporting goods from there—each step was a monumental challenge.
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because it's cold."
"Exactly right!"
Sid Karsen shook his head with a wry smile and took a sip of tea. Then, in a composed voice, he continued.
"You must have a solution, then?"
"Naturally. But first, clear the room."
At Sid's nod, the servants filed out, leaving just the two of us.
I expanded my senses to check for any eavesdropping.
Once certain we were alone, I opened the bag. A wave of scorching heat emanated from within.
"You—don't tell me—?"
"Yep. Sun Stones."
An enormous quantity of Sun Stones—each of exceptional size and brilliance. My brother pressed a hand to his forehead in disbelief.
"If we solve the cold, most of our problems disappear, right?"
His expression shifted rapidly at my final words. His face practically screamed, Where did you get these?!
But what actually came out of his mouth was entirely different.
"You're not really my brother, are you?"
I chuckled. "What kind of question—? I've got twenty times this amount."
He fell silent for a moment. I didn't elaborate. He'd understand what I meant.
"So. Secure what we need for the business, then regulate sales to generate funds."
I could almost hear the abacus clicking in his head.
"We can easily sell these to the Northern nobility. No—they'd pay a premium for stones of this caliber. They've never seen Sun Stones this large before."
He was already strategizing how to exploit the nobles' elitist mentality for profit.
"Now, the real question. What do you want in exchange for providing these?"
Good. You're thinking like a proper older brother now. Of course, I had my answer ready.
"Let's establish a company with you and me as majority shareholders. We'll launch various ventures—I'll provide capital and ideas, while you handle operations."
"Other nobles and corporations won't sit idle."
"Brother. Why should the Karsen family care about those insects?"
"What?"
"If we waste time worrying about every little pest, the North will fall."
"......"
My brother's eyes widened at my blunt words, but I pressed on.
"I'll make the North more prosperous than ever. Even if it means purging every corrupt noble and business—except the few decent ones."
"......Is that why you want the Special Investigation Headquarters?"
"The nobility and merchants monopolizing goods—too many of them are rotten. The commoners starve while those leeches feast. And let's not forget the ones bribing the Central Empire."
"......"
He looked utterly dumbfounded.
"I intend to change everything. So. When you're ready, let me know. Father will approve, I'm certain."
An inscrutable expression crossed his face. Was he moved? Hard to say. But then—
"You're insane, aren't you?"
"Maybe."
"Ha. Fine."
He ruffled his hair roughly and sighed.
"I don't get it, but—one last question."
"Ask."
"What exactly are you looking at?"
I answered with deliberate emphasis.
"The future."
"Definitely insane. Completely deranged. Are you sure you need me for this?"
"Absolutely. I can't do it without you."
This had always been the plan. Even before my regression, I'd envisioned it. I never intended to shoulder everything alone.
My plate was already overflowing with responsibilities beyond business. So yes—I needed him. Not just him, either. More talent was essential.
I rose from the plush sofa. He stood as well and extended his hand.
"Alright. Might as well—living like this was getting boring anyway. Let's do it."
I clasped his hand firmly.
"Good. Partners."
After sealing our verbal agreement (?) with Sid, I wandered alone through the Karsen family's grand mansion. As I strolled, I organized the two remaining challenges in my mind.
First.
The Golden Star Tournament finals.
As expected, my opponent would be her—Sylvia Meyer, the girl I'd grown up with.
I'd once had feelings for her, but no longer.
The real issue wasn't that—it was her heaven-sent talent and current strength, which surpassed even most Intermediate Knights.
'She's practically at Senior Knight level.'
Second.
Recruiting essential talent before formally launching the business with my brother.
"......Hmm."
Despite my tangled thoughts, the walk itself was refreshing.
The mansion's grandeur rivaled that of celestial palaces, its scale defying imagination.
"Decision made."
Resolved, I headed toward the one place I'd avoided most in my past life.
The Karsen Grand Library.
This had been my mother's favorite place while she was alive. The collection was so vast it made you wonder, Why would our family even need books like these?
It was, in essence, a treasury of wisdom.
As I browsed the shelves, memories of my mother surfaced. 'She was a mage.' That much I remembered—but not what kind of magic she wielded, nor how she'd lived.
What would she think if she saw me now?
Then, I found the text I was searching for.
『The Development of Magical Engineering and Humanity』
More of a thesis than a formal book, but I tucked it under my arm and returned to my room.
Creak—
Inside, Roman sat diligently working an abacus.
"Oh! Young Master, you're back."
He jumped up to bow, but I waved him off.
"Stay seated. More importantly—did my brother transfer the funds properly?"
"Yes, Young Master."
"How much?"
"Exactly 15 billion Jeni. He said it was repayment for the Sun Stones and saving the tavern Igwen Runa."
"......His calculations are precise."
"Ah, also—we've secured partial ownership of the Croem Mountains."
Roman unfurled a map on the table, marked with red circles, triangles, and X's.
"We've located the owners of these plots. They're willing to sell dirt-cheap. But the rest...... either the owners are dead or missing—hard to track down."
"Dead land, then."
"......Yes."
"That'll resolve itself once I obtain my 'Inspection Bureau Knight' title. For now, buy up what you can. Pay fair prices—no lowballing."
"Yes! Understood!"
After dismissing Roman, I sat pondering. Finding the veins, establishing mines, operating factories, developing the mountain range—all of it would enrich the North.
But to achieve this, we needed technology—and the finest engineers I knew were from the Resistance.
"There's only one man for the job."
Now was the perfect time to recruit that eccentric magical engineer.
Our first meeting in the past life had been... less than ideal, but I had a feeling things wouldn't go as badly this time.
"Doctor Crombell."
A man infamous for his bizarre magical engineering inventions.
Currently dismissed as a madman by most scholars, but destined to become a legend in magical engineering.
I'd invest in his future. And right now—he was desperate for funds.
Unfolding paper, I began drafting a letter to Doctor Crombell.
Scratch—scratch—
Dissatisfied, I crumpled the draft and started anew. The words lacked sincerity—I repeated the process until they felt right.
"......I really suck at writing."
I'll need to hire a calligrapher later.
To prevent humanity's downfall, I'd spare no means.
And politics was inevitable in this process.
What did mastering politics require? Reading human desires, understanding interests, compromising where necessary?
For others, perhaps—but not for me. I had a non-negotiable purpose.
Thus—image was everything. Image bred persuasion effortlessly.
Public speeches mattered, but so did shaping perception through the written word.
In my past life, countless politicians had weaponized this to crush rivals. Now, it was my turn.
Anyway.
I painstakingly composed the letter to persuade Doctor Crombell.
He was undeniably a genius—the man whose magical engineering would sustain humanity during its darkest hour.
I needed him. But how does one convince an eccentric magical engineer?
After much deliberation, the final draft read:
『To the Genius Magical Engineer, Doctor Crombell.
Scholars call you a madman. But I know the truth—the world simply wasn't ready for you.
Yet.
Doctor.
An unrecognized gem is just another rock. So I ask—will you rot in the corner of a lab, forgotten?
Will you die mocked and unacknowledged for your life's work?
Or will you join me and etch your name into history?
I have the Karsen name backing me. The funds to support you. Come, and I'll provide lodging, a laboratory, and 5 billion Jeni as initial research funding.
The choice is simple. Take my hand and claim your place in history.
Or reject it and fade into obscurity as the world's laughingstock.
I await you at the Karsen estate.
- Sion Karsen.』
Not my finest prose, but the mix of flattery and provocation should suffice.
The research investment was no loss. If his work and our ventures succeeded, money would flow like waterfalls.
I sealed the letter and inscribed the address on the back.
The author of 『The Development of Magical Engineering and Humanity』—which I'd taken from the library—was Doctor Crombell.
Oddly enough, he'd scribbled his lab's address inside the back cover. That's what I used.
I sent it via express courier. He'd likely receive it by tonight.