The Demonic Capital: New York
I stepped back into the Dark Market’s New York branch, and Eve greeted me with a look that clearly asked why I had returned so soon. Otagi Yuka was nowhere to be seen; she must have gone out hunting for more Kurotsuki-do again.
“Did you forget to buy something?”
“It’s less about buying and more that I obtained a few things in New York that I can’t exactly carry around freely. I was wondering if the Dark Market could ship them for me.”
“You mean that steel puppy you’re holding?”
“Yes. And this rifle too.”
I handed the weapon over to Mimata Chieri so she could show it to Eve. The AI scanned both the mechanical wolf and the gun in one smooth pass.
“Hmm. The rifle is in my database. EL-0001, a prototype. There are only a handful of them in the entire world. The steel puppy, however, isn’t listed anywhere. Where did you acquire it?”
“I stopped by an abandoned factory belonging to Energy-Link Industrial Company and caught it while it was attacking someone.”
“Ah~ So that’s what happened. As a special service for Diamond members, I’ll ship today’s purchases free of charge and include these items as well. Please place them here.”
Eve pointed at the serving robot she had used earlier to intervene in the fight between me and Otagi Yuka. Since she was only a hologram, she naturally couldn’t handle physical objects herself.
“I’ll set them down.”
I carefully placed the rather heavy steel wolf, the EL-0001, and its battery pack onto the serving robot. Once everything was loaded, the robot’s sensors must have kicked in; its eyes widened and it stared at me with a surprised expression.
“Wait just a moment! This steel puppy has a dedicated AI installed?”
“Yes. It’s loaded with a prohibited murder AI, but I planned to take it back to Japan for research.”
Eve tilted her head for a second, then her face shifted into a look of firm resolve.
“Could I purchase the AI program inside this puppy?”
“I’m planning to build a business around this steel wolf, so I can’t sell it.”
As expected from an AI otaku, Eve gazed at me with sparkling cat-like eyes that practically screamed please. It was incredibly cute, but this was business material. I couldn’t just hand it over.
“What kind of business is it? Oh! Then how about this? I’ll become your partner! I can provide quite a lot of help.”
Collaborating with the Dark Market… The steel wolf business was never going to be strictly legal anyway, so partnering with the ruler of the underworld seemed like a solid idea. I nodded in agreement.
“The plan is to cover the steel wolf with animal hides and sell them as luxury pets that also double as secret bodyguards for the upper class.”
“That’s a brilliant idea! Different regions prefer different animals… I hear pet lions are all the rage among Middle Eastern royalty these days. We could customize the outer appearance accordingly. And I can reprogram the murder AI currently installed in it.”
The original idea was good, but having her rework the AI was an even bigger benefit. The Dark Market possessed the world’s largest collection of AI data, so receiving their expertise would be a huge advantage. I wouldn’t even need to hire a new programmer.
“On top of that, if we use mithril alloy from my mines for the frame, the quality will improve dramatically.”
“How lucky that you own a mithril mine, Ryuta!”
She looked absolutely thrilled. I couldn’t tell whether she was excited about the business potential or simply overjoyed at the chance to get her hands on the wolf’s AI.
“Then, to keep things legally safe, we’ll need to acquire Energy-Link Industrial Company first. You’re planning to commercialize that rifle as well, correct? The wolves will have to remain in the gray market, but if you want to run a legitimate firearms business, you must purchase the company. Otherwise you’ll be sued immediately.”
“I thought Energy-Link Industrial had gone under?”
Eve shook her head at my question. The factory had been completely abandoned and it never appeared in the game, so I assumed the company had collapsed. Apparently it was still alive.
“Its operations are nearly nonexistent, but the company itself remains. The previous president passed away, and now a woman named Lara Sinclair runs it. She doesn’t do much, but she pays her taxes on time.”
“How much would it cost to buy?”
“It’s barely active, but it holds quite a few patents, so it won’t be cheap.”
Even if it wasn’t cheap, my current wealth should cover it. If not, I could have Han Yugyeong buy it with me and establish a Korean branch to help her out.
“Let’s worry about the money after we get a price quote. Since we’ve agreed to partner up, you can examine the steel wolf’s AI now.”
“Wow~ Thank you! Before that, I’ll send you a temporary partnership contract through the Dark Market app.”
A soft chime sounded as a document instantly appeared in the app. I showed it to Mimata Chieri for review. She read through it quickly and nodded.
“There don’t appear to be any issues. Since it’s only a temporary contract, it doesn’t contain many detailed clauses yet.”
I nodded at Mimata Chieri in full secretary mode, and we left the Dark Market’s New York branch, leaving Eve behind. There was nothing else to do here anyway, and it was already dinner time. My stomach was growling, so we headed out immediately.
“Junior, will the new company be established as a subsidiary under Hatake Investment?”
“I’m thinking of setting it up in Korea.”
“Together with Miss Han Yugyeong?”
Mimata Chieri staring at me with yandere-like intensity
I froze mid-step on the way to the motorcycle. How did she know about Han Yugyeong? I turned around in surprise and found her wearing an expression that looked like it belonged to a yandere heroine.
“Senior, please don’t make that face. You know I like it when I meet other women.”
“That’s terrible! You should have told me earlier so I could imagine it while I’m alone in Korea!!”
I had no idea what Mimata Chieri was even talking about. What exactly was she planning to imagine by herself…?
“Anyway, since when have you known about Yugyeong?”
“I’ve been watching over you the entire time, so of course I know. She visited Japan once, didn’t she? And you went to Korea as well.”
Right. Han Yugyeong had come to Japan. At the time Mimata Chieri had been monitoring me on Taira Tanjo’s orders, so she would have known. Did that mean the old man knew about her existence too?
“Does Grandfather know as well?”
“Hmm. I reported that during the day you were with another woman, and in the evening you met with Han Yugyeong and had sex all day before being attacked. The attack was such a major incident that the report focused on it, so the part about Han Yugyeong was probably omitted. As far as I know, no one followed you on the Korea trip, so he likely doesn’t know you met her there.”
That’s right. An assassin had come after us when Han Yugyeong visited Japan. The Yeouiju had nullified the attack, but I had been briefly declared dead and met the Daughter of the Abyss. It felt like ancient history even though it had only been a few months.
“So there’s a good chance he doesn’t know?”
“Probably.”
Whether Taira Tanjo knew or not, my behavior wouldn’t change. Still, it was better that he didn’t know.
“In any case, I plan to create a joint venture with Han Yugyeong in Korea.”
“Understood. But! Next time you’re with Han Yugyeong…”
“Senior, what exactly are you saying?”
When I sensed she was about to ask me to record another video, I simply started the motorcycle and ended the conversation. I could hear Mimata Chieri calling “Please~!” from behind, but I ignored her and rode into the streets of New York.
###
We stopped at one of New York’s top three steak houses, enjoyed a hearty meal, then rode the motorcycle back to the Fitzgerald family mansion. It seemed Aris and Nae Fitzgerald hadn’t returned yet; only the butler was there to welcome us.
“Welcome back. Have you had dinner?”
“Yes. I heard New York is famous for its steaks, so we ate before coming back.”
“Oh dear! The steaks prepared by our mansion’s chef are far superior to anything you’d find outside. I’ll have him make some for lunch tomorrow.”
No matter how prestigious the family was, scolding me for eating steak outside like a father who caught his son eating street food was a bit much. I found it both amusing and absurd, so I simply smiled and nodded.
“Sure. I’m looking forward to how good it is.”
“Hehe. I’ll show you New York’s finest steak.”
With that level of confidence, I was genuinely curious how it would taste. After parting with the butler, Mimata Chieri went to her room and I returned to mine. I took a shower, then decided to examine the items I had acquired today.
Epic Totem
An Indian shaman bound the spirit of a bear into a carved totem. Those recognized by the bear spirit will gain the bear’s strength and constitution.
I took out the bear totem I had checked earlier. This… I should give it to Han Yugyeong. Her long-range combat with magic and throwing techniques was decent, but her physical abilities were terrible. The Grizzly Totem would provide a massive boost to her strength and stamina, which would help her greatly in close quarters as well.
The method to earn the bear spirit’s recognition was simple: apply honey to the totem every day. After a few days, the spirit would acknowledge her and lend its power.
Since I already had more than enough strength and stamina, there was no need for me to keep it. Next was…
Rare Keepsake
A music box that plays beautiful music to warn its owner when someone harboring malice approaches. Rumored to house a timid fairy.
It wouldn’t be very useful to me with my Master’s Senses, but it seemed perfect for Madam Jinmi-ja. Malice would be relevant not only for life-threatening situations but also for business. Con artists trying to ruin a deal would definitely trigger it.
The last item was a drink called the Elixir of Strength, something I had never seen before. I was curious whether it would be a dud or a jackpot.
A rare elixir that glows with a faint golden hue when shaken.
Effect:Anyone with Strength below 12 who drinks it all and sobers up will randomly gain 0~2 points in Strength.
Note:If the drinker does not become intoxicated, it is simply ordinary alcohol with no effect.
This elixir was also useless to me. Thanks to my traits I couldn’t even get addicted to anything, and there was no way I could get drunk. Besides, my Strength was exactly 12. Even if I somehow got drunk, the effect wouldn’t trigger. Come to think of it, the Body Wrapped in the Abyss trait was actually pretty inconvenient. Since I couldn’t get drunk, what was the point of drinking soju…? I didn’t drink often, but there were still times when I craved a glass.
While I was sighing at the Elixir of Strength, I heard a knock at the door. Mimata Chieri slipped inside.
Mimata Chieri in a sheer baby doll nightgown
She was wearing a baby doll nightgown that looked like something from old European or American high society. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she spoke.
“Junior… I’m not wearing any panties♥”
