CH 3.2

“You can anticipate it. Don’t worry, whatever I plan to do, I’ll let ‘Terran Hours’ report on it first.”

“Oh, thank you very much. So long as we report it ‘exclusively,’…”

Mr. Bloomberg rubbed his palms adoringly. I smiled triumphantly and set my teacup down. Then I asked another question, this time in a more subtle tone.

“By the way, is there an amusement park nearby where a family can go and play?”

“An amusement park?”

“It’s like a big park where you can walk around with your family, lover, or friends. You can go shopping, eat, and play while riding rides.”

Magic and planes already exist, so perhaps an amusement park does as well. It didn’t show up in the original, but I was very careful not to overlap items that already existed here. 

Mr. Bloomberg, on the other hand, was perplexed.

“I’m not sure what you mean by going on a ride, but-“

“Oh, is that so? Then that’s fine.”

“Yes?”

“Enough, enough. Forget about it.”

They don’t have amusement parks, which is a good thing! My eyes gleamed like a dangerous beast that had discovered its prey.

My mother told me that if I had seed money, my family would already be among the wealthiest in Cheongdam-dong*.

*(Cheongdam-dong is a ward in Seoul, South Korea’s Gangnam District. In South Korea, the area is best known as an affluent neighborhood with a disproportionately high number of high-income residents and some of the most expensive real estate in the country.)

It’s all or nothing!*

*(A cliché-level line that appears in manga when someone is put in extreme situations, particularly during battles. They usually take a chance after this line. Can also refer to a gambler and aggressive play type that aims for a big hit.)

Everyone in my family who yelled like that had a proclivity for risky investments. And I was no exception.

In fact, even if I lose this 5 billion, I still have the other half left, so fighting is safe.

‘Besides, if I pretend to be his wife and act just like this, I might be able to divert attention away from Lacius for a while. Of course, this is only a band-aid solution.’

Three years later? No, after the appearance of the original female protagonist?

I am certain that various calamities and pains await the two of them, but it hurts my conscience to simply vanish after eating a large sum of money.

Probably because Lacius is so charming. And possibly because I was now aware of how difficult his life was.

‘So we’re hitting two birds with one stone.’

People in this country would be more interested in an amusement park than Lacius. It will almost certainly be a hot topic for the next few years. This unusual interest in Lacius will most likely fade. I nodded and smiled cheerfully. I was very proud of myself for knowing how to maintain self righteousness.

“I’m finished with what I have to say, and if you’re finished with the report, you can go.”

“Indeed, miss.”

“The donation will be officially delivered within a week of the Ministry of Finance of the Imperial Palace approval.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Mr. Bloomberg smiled as he stood up and put on his hat, his mouth almost touching his ears. Juliet followed him out, and I grinned as I looked at the plate, which had only crumbs left.

‘Didn’t I come up with a cool business item?’

I hadn’t forgotten Theobalt’s words of wisdom.

Dresses and other clothing businesses aimed at noble ladies.  Short-term luxury clothing launch. He also mentioned the entertainment industry.

I simply decided to keep things simple. A place to have a good time. A location that does not exist in this world.

It’s an amusement park!

A combination of Disneyland and Universal Studios. Let’s make one in that style. And what if we construct a massive aquarium in it?

‘Making money is no longer impossible.’

It will take a long time, but if I do the majority of it with my painting magic, the construction time will be significantly reduced.

‘But first, I’ll need some land. The initial investment would be substantial, and we may need to hire several hundred people.’

Choosing what to do is not an easy task. But I was determined to do it, so I had to think long and hard about it.

A maid from the entrance asked as I crossed my legs and wiggled my toes joyfully.

“Madam, may I put the dishes away?”

“All right, go ahead.”

“I understand!”

In addition to Juliet, about ten maids were created last night to assist with chores.

The butler immediately assigned the maids to assist with housework, their area was determined, and the work to be done was scheduled.

“Has your guest already left?”

“Hello, Theo!”

Theobalt appeared at that point, wearing a light smile. With a kind expression on his face, he bowed to the maid who was leaving.

“The mansion is clean thanks to my lady.”

“What exactly are you saying? Even before, the mansion was always clean.”

“Seeing the maids help this old man clean places that I can’t clean meticulously makes me feel ten years younger.”

To be honest, drawing several people at once hurt my wrist. However, seeing Theobalt happy allowed me to ignore the throbbing pain. Furthermore, the house became noticeably brighter without a stain because the maids were painted to be devoted solely to cleaning.

“By the way, my lady.” 

Theobalt called me as I was about to go up to the painting room. He didn’t appear to have come solely to express gratitude for the maids.

“Please speak up.”

I don’t have a lot on my plate, so I have plenty of time to talk. Theobalt bowed his head once more at that point.

“Please speak informally to me.”

“Ah.”

“If you speak to me so formally, it would be difficult for this old man to look at His Highness, the Grand Duke. It’s only natural for you to speak to me casually.”

Hearing those words from a handsomely dressed old gentleman with his glove hands on his left chest feels so cool. In fact, while it may be natural in this world, it was difficult for me to speak casually to a gray-haired grandfather. I scratched my cheek, paused for a moment, and then opened my mouth.

“Yeah, I get it.”

Now that I think about it, it does seem odd to talk casually to Lacius while being respectful to the butler.

Theobalt then smiled and lifted his head, as if satisfied.

“Then I’ll take the maids and clean the warehouse. I am now very motivated knowing I have someone to assist me.”

“Thank God. I’m glad it was beneficial.”

A person like Lacius needs the power of painting magic. If greedy people had not attempted to monopolize power, the world would have been a better place.

I entered the painting room, clicking my tongue. The most recent painting I was working on was in the center of the room, where the sun shone brightly.

‘Cat.’