Chapter 7

The next day, Hagana and I were sitting side-by-side at the table. Next to my computer was Hagana’s terminal, with the program that Cerault had made open on it. When I asked about the contents of the program, it apparently takes all the factors I told her that influence stock prices as variables in a function, and selects stocks whose future movements seem predictable from among the listed issues. She said something about future stock price prediction involving time shifts based on normal distribution, but in short, except for that point, she’s trying to imitate what I’m doing using mathematics. The difference between me and that program is that the program instantly finds stocks I might like from all listed stocks, and displays future stock prices calculated in its own way.

Stock prices are constantly going up and down, and the range of that price movement is called volatility. On days when the market moves significantly, prices move significantly, but on most days, they fluctuate within about the same range. The program judges and substitutes volatility from the movement of the index for that day, predicting and displaying prices moment by moment.

I scanned the stocks selected by Hagana’s program and opened the ones that looked usable. There were a few that looked good, and for now, it seemed to be imitating my judgment criteria well.

“Well then, shall we try it?”

“Yeah.”

Hagana seemed a little nervous. The virtual market opened, and stock prices began to move all at once. For the stocks selected by Hagana’s program, today’s price range was indicated as if it were a definitive matter. Depending on the movement of the index, that is, the atmosphere of the market that day, it seems to show a price range that says “this will happen with about 70% probability.”

While looking at other stocks, I mainly focused on that stock for the time being. Today, the entire market seemed somewhat sluggish, and there wasn’t much movement. Perhaps reflecting that, the program narrowed the price range slightly. It seems to be recalculating every few minutes.

“How is it?”

Hagana asked, but I shrugged and stared intently at the price. It continued to drop gradually, and buying wasn’t coming in easily. According to my intuition, the atmosphere suggested I shouldn’t touch it.

“Was this value the lower limit of the price?”

“Yes. The price corresponding to one standard deviation after adjusting the values.”

“…”

I don’t really understand what that means, but I guess that’s what it is. However, “atmosphere” is something you can only faintly grasp after staring breathlessly at many stocks, hammering all other indicators that could be clues into your head, and chasing all the dizzying numbers. Can mathematics truly capture that? I was becoming skeptical, albeit late in the game. After all, that program had indicated the upper and lower limits like this even before the market opened, as if it had already seen through everything today.

By the way, the lower limit of the stock I’m watching is 732 Mool, and currently, it’s 738 Mool. Since the opening price was 745 Mool, it’s down about 1%. A 1% drop is like a sneeze; just because your nose tickles doesn’t mean you have a cold. However, precisely because of that, there are no clues and it’s hard to grasp. I opened screens for other stocks, found a stock gaining momentum because someone got impatient or made a move, and jumped on the bandwagon. I buy stocks just starting to rise and sell when it seems still too early. Once profit is made, I don’t look at subsequent developments.

I knew Hagana was fretful next to me, but I couldn’t spend the whole morning on just that one stock. For about an hour or an hour and a half, I piled up profits of 0.7% or 0.5% with other stocks. Far from being in top form, but considering the weakness of this market, it’s decent. Just as I made two losses of about 0.2% midway and thought good grief. Suddenly, a ping sound rang out.

“Hal!”

Hagana called my name. Looking over, her finger was pointing at the terminal. Peeking in, the numerical values on Hagana’s program were flashing. When I checked the stock price of that issue on my own terminal, it had dropped to 734 Mool, near the lower limit.

“It’s dropping.”

“I know.”

I stared at the screen, but the board showed indistinguishable buy and sell numbers lined up. Do I put in a buy order here? Honestly, I flinched. The only clue is Hagana’s program.

“Even though volatility is low, it’s reached the lower end of sigma.”

“…”

As usual, I don’t know what that means. However, Hagana is serious. I decided to believe in Hagana and put in a buy order. Since she says 732 Mool is the lower limit, out of habit, I placed a limit order to buy just before that, at 733 Mool. After trading gradually at 735 Mool, there was some bulk selling, and the stock slid down to 734 and 733 all at once. My order was executed, and the stock price stopped dropping for a moment. However, in such a situation, buyers would want to avoid trouble and pull out, and for those aiming for short selling, it’s a place to sell. Naturally, a chunk of sell orders appeared. All buy orders at 733 Mool were swallowed, and more than half of 732 Mool was eaten into. Scared, I tried to place a stop-loss order. Because the wound would be shallow now. Hagana seemed to sense that and grabbed my hand to stop me.

“No.”

“What are you doing!”

“It should be bought here. It should be bought.”

Hagana said while holding my hand. Why? What is the basis? Since it’s a program she made herself, it’s human nature to wish for the prediction to be correct. Still, the reality in front of us is heartless, and as the market proverb says “stocks don’t choose their owners,” they move ruthlessly and freely. If praying alone worked, people like Lisa would be the rich ones. The buy orders at 732 Mool were also chipped away, entering 731 Mool. Already a 0.3% loss. It is said that the most difficult thing in investment is actually not making a profit, but how quickly you can cut off a stock when a loss occurs. Ordinary humans, when a loss occurs, leave the stock alone and try to wait for the price to rise. Doing so, in most cases, either the wound keeps getting bigger or the price never returns to the original level. As a habit, I am driven by the urge to minimize losses. Remember the rule of legendary investors. What was it again?

The atmosphere is also the worst. There is absolutely no reason to buy. Below 731 Mool, 730 Mool awaits, meaning a slight wall at a unit of 10. There, those who want to buy stocks cheaply place buy orders because it’s a round number. Are we relying on this? With this atmosphere, even if the decline is stopped, it doesn’t become a reason to rise. Still, Hagana stared intently at the screen.

“It will go up, it should go up…”

Selling appeared, and the buy orders at 731 Mool were about to run out.

“?”

However, the stock price didn’t drop further. Intermittent buying came in, and it stopped. Selling, buying, selling, buying; they competed, and the atmosphere changed. Could it be? Trading stops.

“Go up.”

It was the moment Hagana muttered.

“Wha—”

Buying that reached 733 Mool all at once came in. The selling side froze as if they had hiccups. Buying came in even more in chunks. It reached 734 Mool. Selling appeared. But that, like a water pistol, evaporated in the next turn. 735, 736, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739… I could tell the panicked selling side was gathering orders at 740 Mool. My profit is a little under 1%. If I’m going to lock in profit, it’s here. I shook off Hagana’s hand and placed an order. This time Hagana didn’t interfere either. In the end, it was executed at 739 Mool, a 0.8% profit. The stock price reached 740 Mool for an instant, was pushed back to 738 Mool by thick selling, and stalemated there. Watching that movement, I was a bit dumbfounded, as if shown a trick art.

“…Did we make a profit?”

Hagana asked without confidence.

“…Sort of… yeah.”

“Sort of?”

Asked repeatedly, I rephrased.

“0.8%.”

Hagana seemed unable to gauge whether that was a lot or a little and frowned slightly, but she didn’t seem displeased. She nodded with satisfaction at the fact that we made a profit for the time being. However, I don’t understand. What was the basis for the judgment just now? When I looked at Hagana, Hagana also looked at me.

“Self-fulfilling prophecy.”

And Hagana said that.

“Hah?”

“Same as chart analysis. While calculating with various graphs, I realized. There are many people trading with the same method.”

Stringing together chopped sentences, Hagana stared straight into my eyes. There was confidence in her pitch-black eyes.

“The range of price movements is extremely aligned. It is more orderly than using a random number generator. Proof that someone is leveling the ground.”

“…Leveling the ground?”

Hagana frowned. However, closing her eyes lightly, she explained.

“The concepts used in statistics are all the same, all written in textbooks. So, if they intend to calculate, the values everyone comes up with are almost the same. It’s only a difference of what weight is given to which value. If so, everyone points to the same place and says this is the statistical lower limit value. Therefore, it gets bought at 732. When it gets bought, everyone understands their calculation was correct. They buy with confidence. So it goes up. Even people with less confidence buy. Do you understand?”

Even if asked do you understand?, my head feels like it’s going to explode. However, I understand somewhat.

“In short, everyone is using the same tools and making the same predictions… is that it?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Being told clearly by Hagana, I want to say that’s ridiculous, but I remembered the words of John Maynard Keynes, who revealed the essence of stock trading. Stock trading is like a beauty contest, but what one should consider when investing is not who you think is beautiful. You must consider who others think is beautiful, and moreover, consider that all voters are thinking from the same perspective. Hagana had pulled off something close to that teaching. And the stock price moved exactly as Hagana predicted. It dropped below 732 Mool for an instant, but that much can be ignored. What is most important is that this is calculated automatically by a program.

“But, there are things I cannot do either.”

“…For example?”

Hagana looked at me, then at the screen. Looking down, she might be a little frustrated.

“I don’t know the timing to sell. Even if the price range can be determined, I don’t know if it will stay there, or rise, and if it rises, how far it will go…”

Hagana looked at me with upturned eyes.

“If it’s Hal, you would know, right?”

And, a beat.

“By atmosphere.”

“…Don’t make fun of atmosphere.”

“I am not. It is the truth.”

Hagana looked back at the screen abruptly. But in that profile, I felt a slight sense of familiarity.

“Well, we won the first battle, but how about the next one?”

“…The list is this.”

When Hagana fiddled with the terminal, a list of stocks appeared in a row again. Looking at trading volume, financial results, and past price movements, I roughly selected three. Looking at Hagana next to me, she was staring expressionlessly at those three names. Then, she looked at me.

“Make profit.”

Just like a princess. However, an exceptionally smart princess.

“As you wish.”

Like a knight, I set out for the battlefield.

---

On the terminal screen, all the numbers stop moving. It’s 5 PM. The result was a staggering victory.

19 wins, 2 losses. Those two losses were from trading stocks different from Hagana’s program, so it was effectively a 100% win rate. In terms of revenue, a 17% gain. Although Hagana was trading with me, she was too scared to go all in, so she won 1.2 million Mool. If she had used margin trading and gone all in, she might have won about 4 million Mool.

“This is amazing.”

I said, looking at the program flashing numbers on Hagana’s terminal. The virtual exchange is closed, and now today’s trading data is being sequentially uploaded to the official homepage. It’s downloading that in real-time and recalculating. That behavior looks just like a creature eating food and growing. Numbers go up and down, updating one after another. Since it seems to calculate based on correlations with various indicators, if one value changes, the whole value changes, and if the whole value changes… it’s endless. Only a computer can do that. A human absolutely cannot.

“…Success?”

Hagana asks. The moment I understood how to use the program, I frequently went back and forth between nearly ten stocks checking prices, and every time a ping sounded, I traded with furious momentum. I sensed from her presence that Hagana stopped looking at the screen midway, perhaps feeling sick, but she didn’t leave her seat. She seemed unable to help but worry about how the program she made with painstaking effort was working. And then, that question after it ended. Her face was so anxious it made me want to be mean and say we didn’t make money. Because of her sharp eyes and usually terrible behavior, seeing her with this expression makes me want to do something about it even more. Suppressing such a childish impulse, I said:

“Huge success.”

It was at that moment. Hagana’s expression crumbled into a honya (soft/melting) look.

“Thank goodness…”

And a relieved smile. Considering her usual self, it had tremendous destructive power. It broke through my tolerance limit all at once. Moreover, in front of the flustered me, I saw tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

“O-Ah, st-stupid, don’t cry.”

I hurriedly said that, and Hagana’s face, which had been soft, instantly stiffened.

“…I am not crying.”

It was too transparent a lie. Right after saying she wasn’t crying, she sniffled loudly zuzuu. However, pointing it out would mean she’d never admit it, and that didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because Hagana was that relieved. Next to me, Hagana was sniffling and rubbing the corners of her eyes. I wished she would consider my position having to pretend not to see it, but that way of putting up a front was also cute. As Lisa says, her personality probably isn’t as twisted as her sharp eyes suggest. Thinking good grief, I gazed at the screen and let it pass.

“…Points for improvement?”

That came abruptly from Hagana.

“Ah?”

“Points for improvement.”

Surely she doesn’t mean regarding the way she lied about not crying. I looked at Hagana, looked at the screen, and answered.

“Ah… w-well, for some, the price range estimation was too optimistic… Also, there were many misses in stock selection. It’s fine if I select in my own way and trade, but if we’re talking about improvements, maybe around there.”

Hagana was still sniffling, but her expression was completely back to normal. Hagana looked at the program screen and nodded.

“But well, it’s amazing.”

I sat up, leaned back against the chair, and said with a sigh of admiration.

“I didn’t know there were guys fighting battles like this in places I didn’t know about.”

Hagana stared intently at me. Then, looking at the terminal once more, she said:

“I’m glad.”

To those heartfelt words, I also agreed.

After that, Hagana was dozing off from dinner time. When she dropped the spring roll filled with vegetables that Lisa brought back from the Chinese restaurant where she works part-time, Lisa gently took the chopsticks from Hagana’s hand. Hagana resisted for a moment like a fretful child, but her eyelids immediately drooped heavily, and she fell fast asleep.

“Good grief…”

Although Lisa said that, she looked somewhat happy. For the time being, she managed to get Hagana to stand up from the chair, and lifted her swaying body all at once in a princess carry. Because she was frail, Hagana’s body fit completely into Lisa’s arms. Lisa staggered a bit, but managed to carry Hagana to her room. Since it took quite a while, she probably changed her clothes too.

“She’s been staying up until late at night lately, hasn’t she.”

“…Heh.”

“Oh, didn’t you notice?”

“No. Once I sleep, I don’t wake up.”

“Oh is that so. That’s nice. I wake up quite often.”

“Lack of exercise, probably.”

At my remark, Lisa stumbled on her words and dropped her gaze slightly. For Lisa’s honor, I pretended not to notice where she looked.

“Maybe that’s it… exercise huh… wait, that’s not it.”

“Ah?”

“How was it today, in the end?”

“How was what?”

I munched loudly on the spring roll Hagana dropped.

“With the program Hagana made…”

“Ah. It was a huge success. We could probably aim for victory normally, couldn’t we?”

I said while shoveling rice into my mouth. Hagana seems to like Chinese food despite being a light eater, and wants to divide most side dishes equally. Since that Hagana went down, the rest should be mine. Thinking so, I tried to reach for the shumai, but Lisa slapped my hand.

“There won’t be any left to serve that child for lunch tomorrow, will there?”

“…”

“Don’t make that face. So? Is it true about the huge success?”

“Damn… true, it’s true.”

“Heh. Ah, so the thread of tension snapped for her.”

Lisa said that while turning toward Hagana’s room, and when she turned back to me, she placed her share of shumai on my plate.

“I didn’t say give me your share, you know.”

“Stubborn aren’t you…”

Lisa sighed and shrugged.

“But, I see. That’s good.”

“…”

Lisa wore a quiet smile on her lips as if relieved or reassured about something, stirring the small bowl of soup in her hand with a ceramic spoon. I felt like it wasn’t about the program succeeding and earning money or anything like that. As I stared blankly at that state with chopsticks in my mouth, Lisa suddenly raised her face.

“Chopsticks in your mouth, that’s bad manners.”

“Shut up.”

I cursed and served myself some stir-fry. While I was shoveling in the perfectly seasoned food, I naturally knew Lisa was looking at me and smiling. I wanted to pretend not to notice if possible, but Lisa stared at me intently until I put the plate on the table. I put down the plate and glared at Lisa as bluntly as I could.

“What is it.”

“Hm?”

However, Lisa just tilted her head and dodged it. Adult woman. I was frustrated and embarrassed, yet for some reason not displeased, and truly annoyed.

“I thought, things like this do happen properly.”

“…Hah?”

“Good coincidences.”

“…”

With that one phrase, I somewhat understood what she wanted to say.

“No, that’s wrong isn’t it. Hal did everything possible within his power for us.”

Being told straight on, it starts to feel like I’m being made fun of. I drank the Chinese soup to hide my mouth.

“Not really.”

“Fufu.”

Lisa laughed and slowly took a deep breath.

“If Hal wasn’t here, I wonder what would have become of us.”

Not just Hagana, not just Lisa, but the two of them, Hagana and Lisa. If I hadn’t been here, what would have happened to the two of them inside the church? I imagined it a little as told, and could only picture a disastrous state.

“Haha, I imagine about the same. Two girls don’t have to feel constrained, but sometimes it gets a little too heavy.”

“ calling yourself a girl at your age…”

When I muttered that, Lisa glared at me while still smiling.

“Good grief… But, I won’t say it because Hal would dislike it, but really, I’m grateful beyond words. Setting aside the decision to sell books, I was helpless about Hagana…”

I couldn’t answer Lisa’s words seriously.

“…You’re saying it while saying you won’t.”

“Fufu. Words are difficult things, aren’t they.”

Lisa said brightly. Even I understand that it’s consideration to lighten the atmosphere. Lisa was truly in a critical situation. If she were the type of adult I hate, she would have flattered me more, or stubbornly refused my proposal. But Lisa accepted it readily and didn’t express pushy gratitude. Even though she must know she looks like a useless wooden doll, she hardly interfered when Hagana and I were trading. Work at my family’s workshop was always group work, and it was natural for someone to help someone else. There, I witnessed cool adult behavior many times. I learned there that keeping thanks to a minimum, not offering useless and hindering cooperation, and staying still is the hardest thing, and I learned that the person helping also feels more at ease that way. Lisa was like a model of that. However, I also know that for the person receiving help, it’s easier if the person who helped asks for thanks. All the more so if they are grateful. So, I hesitated. After hesitating, I said this:

“A-Are you going to give me some thanks?”

I intended to say it bluntly, but I stammered out of nervousness. Lisa looking at me blankly might have been because of that too.

“Will you let me?”

And then, she asks something like that.

“I was holding back because you seemed like you’d dislike it.”

Lisa says while laughing a little troubledly. Humility. Self-control. Broad-mindedness to the point of being annoying. I glanced at Lisa and said:

“…For example?”

“He? Hmm, let’s see… Treating you to a meal?”

“You have no money.”

“Ugh… Cooking is about sincerity. How about you, Hal? If there’s anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to say it.”

Saying that, Lisa sticks out her chest. Unlike Hagana, her shapely chest clearly shows in the form of her clothes. What was swirling in my head was that word. Even though it was just a single word, I lacked the courage to let it out of my mouth.

“Ah.”

Then, Lisa put her hand to her mouth after saying such a thing.

“Could it be, you want to take a bath together, or something?”

“Wh-wh-wh-what are you, stupid?!”

I knew my face had turned bright red, but since I couldn’t say I had absolutely no ulterior motives, I ended up reacting with full force.

Lisa was laughing amusingly with composure, but resting her chin on her hand on the table, she said happily:

“In five years, if you’ve become a handsome man, I’ll consider it.”

“By then you’ll be an old hag!”

“…”

Laughing while staying angry is a feat unique to Lisa.

Still, in the end, she burst into light laughter.

“So? What is it really?”

Try saying it honestly.

Across the table, I realized just what an unbelievable child I was.

“…La…”

“La?”

“…p… pil…”

I don’t know if I managed to say it properly.

But Lisa looked surprised, and then wore an indescribable, smug grin.

Then, still resting her chin on her hand, she rudely ate a shumai. She gazed at the tips of her long chopsticks, twirling them around. Should I do it? What should I do?

At such theatricality, I felt like I was going to die of shame.

But in the end, Lisa gave a small nod.

“…Don’t tell Hagana.”

When I said that, Lisa gently lowered her eyes.

“Of course. Boys will die if they don’t have secrets, right?”

In the end, I even got my ears cleaned.

I was scared that if she asked for 30,000 Mool for one more time, I might actually pay it.

---

The Great Leap Forward began the next day. Once we started doing a lot of trades, there were times when Hagana’s program missed the mark, but I covered those instances with my intuition. Hagana would scream that it was unclear and unreliable, but since “atmosphere” is just that kind of thing, it couldn’t be helped. Anyway, the effort I spent searching for stocks was drastically reduced, allowing me to concentrate on trading that much more. Moreover, the ping sound when the price dropped to a good level was truly a wonderful idea. If asked what the most amazing part of the program was, that might be it. I thought, I see, this is what that afro guy Cerault meant by a programmer showing off their skills.

With the support of that program, I extracted profits of 0.5% to 1% from a single stock. At most 1.5%, piling them up steadily. 15 million Mool quickly exceeded 25 million Mool. The time Hagana could spend watching the trading screen also increased, and conversely, I began to be able to maintain composure during trading. We started consulting about this and that during trading, and even discussing improvements to the program right on the spot. Or rather, Hagana’s enthusiasm was tremendous; except when eating and sleeping, it seemed she was constantly thinking about it.

Once, she even turned the tables on Chris, who came to ask a question while making a delivery, and asked her own question. Naturally, Chris’s eyes darted around in confusion, but perhaps because she is serious and timid at heart, she listened obediently in the end, and the two of them examined some equation about statistics that had nothing to do with anything.

Then, once Hagana got an idea, it seemed like nothing else existed in her head; I saw her run out in the middle of a bath and dash to her room several times. Naturally, she was stark naked and didn’t even have a towel. At first, it was so sudden that Lisa, who was studying something on the sofa, and I, who was fiddling with the terminal at the table, couldn’t move immediately and just stared blankly at Hagana. Immediately after Hagana dashed into her room, Lisa finally came to her senses and chased after her as if flying. After seeing Lisa off, I looked down at the terminal like a robot that had run out of oil. Burned into my retinas was Hagana’s slender body. Streamlined, soft-looking yet glossy skin like porcelain. I was strangely moved by how much it resembled the dolphin I saw at the aquarium. When Hagana was brought back by Lisa wrapped in a sheet, I admittedly couldn’t look that way. Lisa, having pushed Hagana back into the bath, closed the door, sighed heavily, and shook her head as if lamenting. From the second time on, Lisa didn’t panic and brought Hagana back like it was a routine task, and by the fourth time, Hagana seemed to have learned to take the terminal into the bath with her. Or perhaps Lisa gave in and allowed her to take it into the bath. She seems to think touching it with wet hands will cause an electric shock.

In this manner, the program was improved, and I also understood the movements of the program Hagana made, grasping its quirks like where it was reliable and where it wasn’t. I thought many times that this sensation must be what it means for gears to mesh. In the virtual space where the investment contest was held, it was almost like gambling where the result was already known.

Given such a situation, it could be said that it was only a matter of time before greed emerged in me. Or rather, I had been thinking from the start if I could use Hagana for that purpose. Besides, even if it’s in virtual space, if profits are coming out this smoothly, there is no reason not to do so. In other words, applying it not just to virtual trading, but to real trading. Three weeks after starting trading in the contest, around the time we got used to this work and could afford some leeway, I broached the subject.

“Eh…”

Hagana was surprised as if she hadn’t imagined it even a fragment.

“My… what?”

“Yeah. Your program.”

Hagana looked at me dumbfounded, then looked at the operation screen of the program where she seemed to be adjusting parameters, and looked at me again.

“But, this is for this contest…”

“It’s not like it’s completely unusable, right?”

Hagana looked at me scrutinizingly. Even if I suddenly spoke to her in dog language, she probably wouldn’t make a face like she didn’t understand what I was saying to this extent.

“But… for real, is…”

“Can’t you test it? You often test using past data from the contest, don’t you?”

“That is true, but.”

“Then, do the same thing with real data, and if it goes well, it’s just a matter of actually doing it, right?”

From my perspective, it’s a perfectly natural idea. Or is there some technical impossibility?

“Is something like that impossible?”

“…No. It is not impossible.”

“Then, try it.”

However, Hagana’s reaction was dull. She averted her gaze and seemed somewhat bewildered.

“What’s wrong?”

So, when I asked that, Hagana looked back at me as if a little surprised. Then, her gaze dropped again.

“Ah, could it be about the share when we make a profit?”

Hagana seems greedy yet not, but maybe she gets concerned about such things when it comes to real trading. Thinking so, I tried saying it, but Hagana unusually wrinkled her brow as if genuinely troubled.

“It is not that…”

“Then what is it. things are going this well here, there’s absolutely no reason not to use it in reality.”

“…”

“…”

Staring at Hagana looking down, I start to feel like I’m bullying her. However, I have absolutely no idea what she is hesitating about. I have no more words to say, and I can’t say then just lend me the program. Wondering what to do, Hagana said this with her face still looking down.

“…Real means.”

“Ah?”

Then, she slowly raised her face.

“Money is at stake, right?”

An anxious face.

“Well… obviously, right?”

“…Then, I don’t think it will go well.”

Hagana said, and lowered her face again. Her gaze was directed at the terminal, and her slender fingers slowly touched the screen, changing the program values. Watching that state, I wondered if my head had become stupid. I couldn’t understand what Hagana was saying at all.

“Wh-what did you say?”

“I don’t think it will go well.”

Hagana said clearly, not even looking up from the terminal. I asked once more.

“Why do you think so? Or rather, just try testing with data for now. That’s what this program is for, right?”

Hagana stopped her hand abruptly when I finished speaking, as if she had been inputting my words directly into the terminal. Then, she tried to look at me but stopped midway. Then, her hand started fiddling with the terminal again. I got irritated and grabbed her slender fingers forcefully, turning them towards me.

“Answer me. I really think what you made is amazing, and results are showing. Not using it for real trading is stupid.”

Hagana tried to escape from my hand silently, but there was no way Hagana’s strength could shake off my grip. However, the reason I hurriedly let go was not because Hagana tried to scratch or bite me. Suddenly, she looked like she was about to cry.

“…D-Don’t cry.”

“I am not crying.”

She said only that part clearly and pursed her lips. As if to deliberately gloss over the fact that she almost cried, Hagana said bluntly:

“I don’t think it will go well in reality.”

And the content was the same again. No reason, nothing. It was something akin to conviction. If it were me from a little while ago, I might have simply gotten irritated, shouted, fought, and left it at that. However, now I know Hagana to some extent. Loving math, seeing her own program produce such results in virtual space, yet being convinced without logic that it will definitely not work in reality. There was a self-defense so pathetic it was sorrowful. Since things haven’t gone well until now, there’s no way they will go well from now on. I don’t want to get hurt by holding onto hope anymore. It was the same as saying that.

I remembered Toyama’s words. A chick that hasn’t even hatched from the egg. I poked at Hagana’s eggshell.

“That it might not go well isn’t the problem.”

Hagana looked at me with emotionless eyes. Her pitch-black pupils looked like spilled stagnant ink. There are demons in the market, and tons of pitfalls. Even with a perfect theory, winning every battle is probably impossible. But if you have the logic to win, if you stay standing until the end, you should win someday.

“I told you. We do it until it works.”

“…”

“Besides, even if we lose money, I won’t tell you to take responsibility. But if we make a profit, I’ll give you about 20% of the profit. How about that? With this, you won’t lose anything, right? What was it called, the lottery with a positive something.”

“Expected value.”

Hagana said immediately, then paused. Then, she looked at me with upturned eyes.

“But…”

Hagana said “but” again. The shell is tightly closed. However, I could hear it from the cracks.

“I’m scared.”

Honestly, I don’t understand the fear Hagana holds. That’s probably because I’ve lived a relatively happy life after all. I haven’t experienced being bought with money from a miserable country on harsh Earth, coming to the Moon, and having to sob while covering my head in the corner of a room. So, I won’t claim I understand all of Hagana’s feelings or anything like that. But I know what words I want to say. I look into Hagana’s eyes. Staring firmly enough to find my own reflection there, I said this:

“I’m scared too. Because I’m betting my entire fortune. Think about your own money disappearing.”

When assets decrease by 1%, my body is whittled down by 1%. If Lisa considers books part of her body, my body is made of money. Hagana swallowed hard, like a small hiccup, while looking into my eyes. Then, weakly lowering her eyelashes, her gaze wandered. I almost shouted at that. However, Hagana directed her wandering gaze to my terminal and said this softly:

“Trading.”

“Ah?”

“Has started.”

At those words, I was also drawn to look at the screen. Since we decide which stock to attack today from the list Hagana calculated with the program beforehand, there’s no panic. Also, I know results are better if we wait a bit after the market starts moving, recalculate, and then charge. So, I tried to return my gaze, which had been stolen by the screen for a moment, to Hagana immediately. However, Hagana might have wanted to take a breath, even for just that moment.

“Understood.”

“Guh, ah? What?”

Being told before I could return my gaze, I was slightly confused. Besides, Hagana didn’t restate it and turned her face quickly to her own terminal.

“…”

In front of me is the usual profile that doesn’t seem to listen to people. However, for some reason, it looked different to me than usual. It was only after that day ended and I got into bed that I realized her cheeks had been slightly red.

By the next day, Hagana had contacted Cerault and completed a program that calculated values reflecting real trading data. Whether Cerault is amazing or Hagana is amazing, I don’t know, but anyway, everything was amazing. That program could fight even in reality.

Hagana’s program is basically a copy of what I do, but unlike my intuition which dulls instantly if I feel sick or if it rains on the Moon, it tirelessly scanned the entire market every day and unfailingly found some seeds of profit. I just had to water them, grow them, and harvest them when they sprouted. In one week, 25 million Mool became 32 million Mool in virtual space. In reality, 72,000 Mool became 79,000 Mool. The reason the gain was smaller in reality was that the situation is more complex than in virtual space, perhaps dulling the program’s accuracy, and because I couldn’t be that bullish. However, Hagana’s program gave me clues, and using those clues, I could pry open the lid of the piggy bank. It blew away the mist-like thing that had covered my head before coming to the church.

“See, I told you it was doable.”

I remember saying that to Hagana after the first day of trading. Hagana was still suspicious, like a kitten that had been teased. When I ran away from home and started trading, I also doubted many times if this was just mere coincidence because I made money like an idiot. But profits piled up to the point where I could think the world is surprisingly sweet. Of course, since growth had been stagnant and stalling for a while recently, that excessive success rate was probably somewhat temporary. However, Hagana’s program basically quantified the criteria of how I judge. In fact, what that program does that I can’t is just accurately calculating a sheer massive amount, not doing something fundamentally impossible for me. It’s like a person carving out a building from lunar limestone using a machine to speed up their work. A machine can do everything a craftsman does larger and faster than the craftsman, but it cannot build a building like a craftsman. In the end, it’s give-and-take, or rather, a problem of who uses which tool best. Hagana can make programs but says she cannot utilize them. I am the opposite. However, I also understand that Hagana’s modest and deeply suspicious attitude comes from somewhere else. There’s no way it goes that well. If it goes well, it’s just by chance. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so much unhappiness in the world…

That’s why, after the first day of trading ended, for Hagana who still wouldn’t believe her own achievement, I ran to the shopping district and withdrew money from the ATM. Since I had declared grandly that I would give 20% of the profit to Hagana, I withdrew 340 Mool out of the 1,700 Mool profit for that day. Then, I thrust three 100-Mool bills and two 20-Mool bills at Hagana, who was staring blankly at the trading records in the living room. The reason I thrust real banknotes instead of electronic transfer was that I wanted to make her realize it wasn’t virtual profit from the investment contest. I wanted to teach her that Hagana’s math ability doesn’t just solve problems on paper, but can earn real money if the usage is chosen properly. Thrust with a total of five crumpled bills, Hagana seemed too surprised to speak for a while. Naturally, Hagana understands completely why I brought 340 Mool. So, looking at Hagana who wouldn’t take the bills on the table forever, I didn’t worry that she would thrust them back. Hagana’s face was filled with surprise as if food drawn in a picture had become reality. Even when she finally reached out slowly for the bills, it wasn’t to receive them, but a way of touching to confirm they were real.

“Is it… real?”

And finally, she asks me. Frowning, looking at me as if reading illegible text. I don’t feel irritated or exasperated by that deep suspicion. I puffed out my chest and nodded clearly.

“That’s right. We made 1,700 Mool today. Not a virtual story. In reality.”

Hagana stared at me, then looked at the bills again. The wrinkled bills made a dry, unreliable rustle, rustle sound every time she touched them. However, they certainly existed there, and with those five bills, one could buy many things. Math can solve problems on paper, but cash can solve many real problems.

“You should buy something.”

“Eh?”

“You’ve been giving all the money you earned teaching math to Lisa, right? Isn’t there anything you want?”

To my question, Hagana genuinely seemed unable to think of anything. She tilted her head innocently, looking very young, and thought. When I went to ask Chris what Hagana liked, the reply wasn’t promising. She might have absolutely no interest in such things.

“There is nothing I want.”

And Hagana says so. Well, I could predict that coming sufficiently, so I wasn’t surprised. However, I was surprised by the words that followed.

“But, there is something I want to use it for.”

“Oh. That’s good. Money is meant to be used.”

At my words, Hagana tilted her head a little again, but her black eyes captured me firmly, and then, taking three of the five bills, she said this:

“With this, I pay the interest.”

“…Hah?”

“The interest Hal paid should have been 300 Mool. That.”

Hagana thrusts them at me forcefully.

“I pay with this.”

Hagana thrust the bills at me and stared at me intently. Indeed, I paid 300 Mool as interest on the debt to Toyama on Lisa’s behalf. I haven’t been paid back yet, and I don’t intend to let it fade away. However, is there a reason to have Hagana pay that? Hagana is ultimately a freeloader like me, has no relation to Lisa, and Lisa wouldn’t want it paid by Hagana either. Thinking rationally, I conclude so. Still, in front of Hagana thrusting three bills at me innocently like a child, I didn’t say such things. For Hagana to realize she can clean up real problems with her own power, ultimately, lies there. It’s about whether she can be of use to someone, and right now, for Hagana, that can only be Lisa. If so, I don’t care ultimately as long as the balance in my internal ledger becomes zero. The rest is a problem between Hagana and Lisa. I received the three wrinkled bills from Hagana’s hand.

“Then, with this, Lisa owes me nothing.”

“Yeah.”

After putting the bills in my pocket, I said as a service:

“Lisa will probably be happy too.”

“R-Really?”

Like a child without suspicion, Hagana asks back.

“Probably.”

Since Lisa has a fastidious side, she might not be happy from the bottom of her heart depending on the case. Still, considering Lisa’s personality, I thought she wouldn’t do anything to hurt Hagana. Sighing, rejoicing, thanking Hagana. Then, managing to raise money somehow and returning it to Hagana when the time is right—I could predict that far. So, what I couldn’t predict was that the moment I said so, Hagana shrugged her shoulders and laughed ticklishly.

It was a truly happy, carefree smile. The reason it looked ticklish was probably because the smile was just a little clumsy. Just as the body doesn’t move as desired if you don’t exercise regularly, a smile involves facial muscles, so it’s the same. However, precisely because of that, I thought that smile was truly wonderful. I had seen Hagana’s faint smile, and her honya relieved face. But those were all just extensions of softening her usual sharp eyes. What is in front of my eyes now is a smile Hagana made by moving her face firmly, and it was undeniably cute. If I wasn’t careful, I might have reached out and touched it. Hagana laughed, shrugged, inhaled slowly, and exhaled. The reason her slender body seemed to shrink further after exhaling might be due to a sense of exhaustion like after doing very hard exercise. Leaving a faint smile only on her lips, Hagana turned her face to the table wearily.

“Will you give me… the rest?”

“Obviously. It’s yours.”

Hagana nodded slightly, picked up the crumpled bills, and folded them neatly and methodically.

“But, we’re going to make a killing from now on. You’ll earn so much you won’t make it in time if you fold bills one by one.”

With Hagana’s program and my trading power, it’s not an exaggeration at all. However, Hagana erased the smile from her lips, returned to her usual expressionless face, directed eyes as cold as outer space at me, and sighed slightly.

“I don’t think it will go that well.”

“Shut up. That doesn’t matter. I told you, don’t say it won’t go well, but—”

“Do it until it works.”

“Guh…”

Being told first, as I was stunned by surprise, a smile floated in Hagana’s eyes again, though small.

“My heart is pounding very fast. I can’t believe something like this is happening.”

Hagana places her slender hand on the chest part of her pitch-black clothes. Because her skin is white, her small hand looks like it’s glowing faintly on the black fabric. Hagana lowers her eyes lightly as if enduring the tightness in her chest, and slowly raises her gaze. Even though her eyes are sharp, they aren’t sharp at all. She looked like she was about to smile brightly at any moment, and I felt something akin to fear. However, naturally, there’s no way Hagana would do something like such a cute girl. Instead, with a rounded expressionless face, she said this:

“Thank you.”

And, as if nothing had happened, she turned back to her terminal smoothly.

“…What?”

Until Hagana asked back like that, I had been staring blankly at her as if I had become stupid.

---

Since we were winning even in the real market, our capital increased in the virtual space just by repeatedly buying and selling appropriately according to the program, without even looking at it properly.

The top is still Mr. Troche, who has also increased his funds, reaching 56 million Mool. Second place is a guy who suddenly leaped up from below tenth place, seemingly having caught a stock that skyrocketed in the last few days, hitting 41 million Mool.

Third to fifth places are in the low 30 million Mool range, and I am clumped together in that group.

Since the guy currently in provisional fourth place has already finished trading, the only rival still investing is the guy in third place.

In other words, unless I do something stupid from here, at least the 10,000 Mool prize is solid for me. Besides, there is also the possibility of headhunting from Schrödinger Street.

As placing high became almost certain, the time I spent thinking about it in bed gradually increased. Since it appeared not as a mere pipe dream but as a reality within reach, I couldn’t help but imagine it. If the path to Schrödinger Street opens, it will be a big step toward my dream. Because that road, watched over by a cat lying on a gold plate, is a golden road leading straight to great wealth.

On Sunday morning, several weeks after arriving at Lisa’s church, I reached out my hand toward the ceiling on my bed and firmly grasped something invisible.

It is a chance.

A truly big chance that has come into my hands.

“Huh?”

Thinking about such things, I finished my usual gymnastics and training and went to the living room, but neither Lisa nor Hagana was there. It was empty and silent. Since it was later than usual on Sunday, Lisa and Hagana might have gone out somewhere.

However, I thought that was strange. Lisa would likely have prepared at least breakfast before going out.

Instead, Lisa’s terminal was placed on the table.

A notepad was open on the display, written: “I am in the garden on the third floor.”

“Third floor?”

Muttering, since it was written in the note anyway, I headed there. Climbing the steep stairs like a ladder, a broom was wedged in the auto-lock door to prevent it from closing. Apparently, she really is outside.

When I opened the door, what came into view was a pure white sheet being aired.

And, occupying a corner of the garden, Lisa reading a book while leaning against a large cushion, and Hagana fast asleep on Lisa’s lap.

“Quietly, okay?”

Noticing me, Lisa put her index finger to her lips and said softly. I slowly closed the door partway, wedging the broom so it wouldn’t close completely.

However, why on earth are they doing this?

A sheet was spread on the ground, cushions for backrests and blankets were prepared, and a water bottle and a steaming cup were placed at hand, along with some light snacks.

It looked just like what they call a picnic on Earth.

“Doing something like this once in a while is nice, isn’t it?”

Lisa held up a plate with light snacks.

Walking up, I received it while standing, picked up a sandwich, and ate it.

“Peaceful, isn’t it?”

Lisa looked up at me from under her glasses.

A beautiful sunny day. Comfortable low gravity.

All the reasons why people born on the Moon become idiots are here.

“I feel like I’m going to become useless.”

“Fufu. Hal is a boy, after all.”

“Always that.”

Learning to shrug and dodge it, I accepted the coffee Lisa brewed.

“Hagana’s program.”

“Ah?”

“It worked in reality too, right?”

Hagana, fast asleep on Lisa’s lap, seemed to have completely let her guard down. She seems to be genuinely attached to Lisa. With her mouth half-open, she was breathing in her sleep with a completely relieved face.

“It worked. Amazing is the only word.”

“I heard from Hagana. She seemed unable to believe it, but… it’s not a lie for Hagana’s sake, is it?”

“Do I look that kind?”

“If anything, I think Hal’s kindness is displayed in other areas.”

“…”

She chooses her words well. I stuffed my cheeks with a second sandwich and said:

“Well, with this, the problems here are mostly solved.”

If we succeed not only in the investment contest but also in real trading, financial problems can be mostly blown away. We’ll likely be able to earn 30,000 Mool in no time.

“Then.”

“Ah?”

“What will Hal do from now on?”

I returned my gaze from the scenery to Lisa. Hagana was sleeping on her lap, holding an old book in her hand. Surely, the crystallization of the ideal days Lisa wishes for in this town is right here. Lisa is not the type to go to Newton City and run through a world of wealth and gluttony.

I originally intended just to rent a small lodging here. Even without headhunting, I’m thinking of selling myself to Schrödinger Street with the track record of the investment contest. If the program continues to go well like this, funds will increase more, so even if I borrow Lisa’s name, finding a place to live will work out somehow.

Anyway, this place is too comfortable.

I felt that was, simply put, not good.

But I shrugged at that question and answered:

“I don’t know.”

“…I see.”

My opponent is the adult Lisa. My inner thoughts are probably obvious to her.

Lisa softened her expression gently and looked at Hagana on her lap.

“If you leave, Hagana might be lonely.”

“Haha, that joke is good.”

“Oh my, I’m relatively serious though.”

“…”

Faced with Lisa’s serious face, I struggled to find an answer and eventually escaped to the coffee.

Slurping it zuzuu to buy time, I said:

“The Moon is narrow.”

Lisa opened her eyes wide as if a little surprised.

Then, Lisa also drank her coffee lightly and answered.

“True.”

Lisa said shortly, and continued with a slight sigh mixed in.

“But recently, new cities are being built one after another, right? The Moon is also becoming wider.”

“Yeah, apparently. I feel like I heard a large-scale residential area will be built near my parents’ home too.”

“Something about a second orbital elevator being built or not.”

“Hah? That would be impossible, surely.”

“I wonder? But it seems the Moon will become even livelier.”

As Lisa was talking, Hagana fretted on her lap.

Apparently, we were a little noisy.

Lisa looked at Hagana, and put her index finger to her lips toward me.

Hagana squirmed for a while, but eventually began to breathe softly in her sleep again.

Lisa gently stroked Hagana’s head and smiled kindly.

“What shall we have for lunch?”

It was a carefree and pastoral remark from Lisa, befitting a Sunday.

---

The peaceful Sunday passed slowly, like drops dripping from hung laundry, along with drowsiness.

Perhaps turning points in life often visit abruptly on such days.

Around the time the sun was about to set, I opened my terminal in my room and noticed an email had arrived. Thinking it was the usual ad email, I saw the sender was the Ratzinger Institute of Economics.

A shock as if my heart was struck directly.

When I opened that email, it briefly stated this:

“We are holding a message for Mr. Yoshiharu Kawaura from a sponsor of the investment contest hosted by our institute.”

Sponsors of an investment contest cannot be anything other than those related to the financial industry. Even though no one else should be there, I looked around the room.

Then, swallowing hard, I aimed at the download button of the attached email with a pitifully trembling hand.

Headhunting.

I tried desperately to block that word with a defensive wall thinking it might just be a sales pitch for investment products.

Schrödinger Street. A financial district where monsters gather. A world of markets that is glittering and somewhat cynically evil. Vast wealth permitted only to those who have run through it.

The key to open all the doors I desire is there.

“…”

The downloaded letter had a short title written on it.

“From Burton Cladviesen, Representative of Investment Fund The Britannica”

Casting aside all hesitation and everything else, I opened the email.

Surely, I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life.

“I have observed your shrewdness from the investment data. I would very much like to meet and talk once.”

Only that one sentence was written bluntly.

Arrogant and direct.

It was an email exactly like the residents of the financial district I imagined.

“Yes…”

I pumped my fist in front of the computer.

I was just about to scream.

---

Ultimately, I exchanged emails with Burton Cladviesen, representative of the investment fund “The Britannica,” a total of three times. When I replied directly to the attached email address, I was astounded to receive a response just five seconds later.

Schrödinger Street is teeming with people whose annual incomes are so high that they can earn more than 100 Mool in the time it takes to bend down and pick up a 100-Mool bill dropped on the roadside. Receiving an immediate reply that embodied that reality, I nearly pissed myself.

This is it. This is the sensation I had forgotten. It wasn’t the smell of clean detergent, but something honed and sharpened, like not taking a proper bath for three months.

“I don’t need dinner today.”

The day after receiving the email from this Burton person, I said this as soon as I entered the living room.

Lisa looked at me in surprise, and Hagana also gave me a rare look.

“Oh, do you have plans?”

“I’m just meeting someone.”

At my words, Lisa exchanged a glance with Hagana for no reason.

“A friend?”

“No.”

I answered bluntly.

I didn’t want to tell Lisa and Hagana about Burton.

Because that is my dream. It is the long-awaited first step toward my dream.

“…I see. You shouldn’t do anything too dangerous, okay?”

Lisa was just speaking in her usual tone, but for that moment only, it was grating to my ears.

There is no mistake that Lisa is an adult woman, but she is not an adult man. She would never cut straight to business in a first introductory email without proper greetings, nor would she ever send a reply in five seconds. Newton City, which constructs the edifice of wealth with the steel beams of arrogance, is not a place for women and children.

I remembered that kind of aggressive drive for the first time in a while.

“When will you be back?”

“I don’t know.”

“If you’re too late, you’ll get picked up by the police.”

“I know.”

Lisa sighed as if to say, I wonder if you really understand, but she didn’t say anything more.

After all, I am merely a freeloader here, and Lisa is nothing more than the master of the house.

Wherever I go and whoever I meet, she has no right to restrict me.

“Hagana.”

When I called Hagana’s name, she looked up from her terminal where she sat diagonally across from me, looking a bit startled.

“Is today’s trading data ready yet?”

“…I-I’ll send it.”

Hagana answered somewhat bewilderedly.

Then, Hagana looked up at Lisa next to her, and Lisa looked down at Hagana.

I have to sharpen my senses that have dulled from soaking in this lukewarm water.

I am scheduled to meet Burton at a hotel in Newton City at 6:00 PM today.

I cannot be lumped in with the dullards around here.

I focused every nerve on trading.

---

“I’m off.”

The moment the trading finished, I stood up from my chair without doing my usual stretch. Hagana, who was sitting next to me, just followed me with her eyes, unable to even reply. I stuffed all my belongings into my bag, ran down the hallway, jumped onto the back of the church pew, and leaped straight to the exit in one go.

And the moment I opened the door wide, I heard a scream from the other side.

“Kyaa!”

“Ah?”

It was a blessing in disguise that the door was a sliding one. Standing frozen in surprise with wide eyes on the other side of the door I had pulled open was Chris, who was always jittery.

“Oh, it’s Chris. What’s wro…”

The last word was swallowed by the large, fat middle-aged man standing behind Chris.

“Is Ms. Lisa here?”

A drum belly, a magnificent beard, and overalls; this was another splendid worker style. The rugged hand placed on Chris’s slender shoulder looked like rubber from oil and physical labor.

“Lisa? She’s not here, but I think she’ll be back soon.”

“I see.”

“Why don’t you wait inside? Oh, Hagana is there.”

I said to Chris and started running.

“U-Um—”

Chris tried to say something to me, but I waved my hand without looking back and ran through the madder-red town. come to think of it, that Chris unusually didn’t have any luggage, I thought. Probably, the person behind her was Chris’s father. I was a little curious about what business they had, but honestly, I didn’t care. I have to go to the Grand Central Hotel in Newton City by six o’clock. It takes less than thirty minutes to get to Newton City by the lunar development train, and the hotel in question is one of the premier luxury hotels on the Moon, located within a few minutes’ walk from Newton City Station. I should make it in plenty of time even if I go slowly, but I absolutely didn’t want to be late, and above all, I was too excited to walk leisurely.

Flying, running, jumping, I ran through the station crowded with the evening rush hour, threading my way through, and jumped onto the train just before the doors closed. This train bound for Newton City was crowded, but the trains heading to the Outer Districts that we occasionally passed were even more crowded. On the Moon where land is scarce, decent houses are all deadly expensive. Those who want to save money without paying the high rent of the White Belt live in the Outer Districts without putting on airs. Recently, beautiful apartment complexes seem to be starting to appear in parts of the Outer Districts, and redevelopment is progressing. The only areas being left behind are districts like where Lisa’s church is.

On the dome of the lunar city, which had begun to draw a gradation from madder red to ultramarine, the twinkling of stars began to appear. At this time of day, due to the subtle play of light, you could see the water pipes crawling on the dome to make it rain, or traces of repairs. On the other hand, the Green City of the White Belt was lined up orderly again today, with beautiful streetlights continuing far along the road. The lights of the houses were also twinkling, and one could imagine beautiful dinners on beautiful dining tables in beautiful houses.

After a while, the train began to draw a gentle arc, and Newton City came into view in the distance. Newton City at night is more spectacular than seeing it during the day. On Earth, the “million-dollar night view” seems to be a catchphrase for tourist spots, but here it is billed as the “hundred-million-Mool night view.” Skyscrapers that can hardly be built on Earth due to gravity are filled with light exactly like a space base. The spaces between buildings are dark like outer space, and the light leaking from windows illuminates the skyscrapers garishly.

Eventually, we arrived at Newton City Central Station, but the station was more crowded than usual due to the evening rush hour. Most people passing by were in suits, and there wasn’t a single man in overalls with hands covered in oil. There were quite a few people dressed casually, but you could tell at a glance that their clothes were high-quality tailoring, or even if their clothes were tattered and they had bed hair, the mobile terminals they were carrying were the latest models, indicating they were engineers or something working for top-tier companies in Newton City. The rest were tourists about to head out into the night of Newton City.

I proceeded according to the route I had confirmed in advance, walking without getting lost in the complicated maze-like station. Huge advertisements posted on both walls of the largest passage piercing the Central Station from east to west continued with insurance companies, software companies, new songs by popular singers, cosmetics, investment banks, and Emerald Industries. In front of those advertisements, groups of people in suits who looked smart and high-salaried were meeting up, talking on the phone, or fiddling with their terminals.

Right above the station is one of the leading shopping malls in Newton City, and when the advertisements break off, they become show windows, eventually becoming the entrance of large automatic doors. And after passing that, it continues with show windows, advertisements… Mannequins that you wouldn’t think imitated real human styles were dressed in flashy clothes, looking down on commuters with disdain. Those coming and going through the automatic doors carried several large bags in their hands, and surely, each bag contained products costing thousands or even tens of thousands of Mool. In that clothing store where Hagana haggled to death, even the most expensive clothes wouldn’t amount to the consumption tax of the everyday clothes bought by the crowd coming here.

Glancing sideways at such scenes, I finally went outside from the station building. In front of me, a huge atrium and a holograph so large it made me dizzy were floating, broadcasting blonde women dressed in flashy costumes dancing and singing. I trotted down the road that drew a large arc leading to the group of buildings on the opposite side. Cars don’t come in front of the station’s central entrance, but immediately below is a multi-layered rotary that is troublesome to even count, filled with the headlights of cars, which are rare on the Moon.

The sun had completely set, and the glitter of Newton City, said to be visible to the naked eye even from Earth, was in full swing. On the opposite side of the station are government offices and Schrödinger Street, but this side is a shopping district and entertainment district. Unlike the Outer Districts, not a single tree growing wild could be found; completely tamed roadside trees were strapped with colorful LEDs and forced to smile. Entering the section lined only with super-luxury brand shops, the ground became stone-paved. The cars were also all luxury cars imported from Earth. The price of the orbital elevator is determined by weight, and also, deadly high tariffs are imposed on some products like cars. Moreover, on the Moon where the road network is not extensive and even if it were, there are no places to drive to, owning a luxury car is no different from keeping a money-eating bug. Beside polished red and yellow sports cars, slender men and women stood chatting. Occasionally, some guys would look at me with a face like they were snorting in laughter and return to their conversation. Actually, since I am an existence that can’t be helped even if laughed at, it can’t be helped. However, in ten or twenty years, I should be in a position to stride through this town nonchalantly. Telling myself that was partly out of frustration. However, as a more compelling reason, when I arrived in front of the Grand Central Hotel, I needed that much spirit to move my freezing legs forward.

The Grand Central Hotel, owned by the lunar hotel king Abu al-Zaib, is a luxury hotel that sells itself on a minimum of 1,000 Mool per night, and I heard the Royal Suite on the top floor is 200,000 Mool per night. There is a huge fountain in front of the entrance, and luxury cars run incessantly on the road leading to the main entrance. Since it is also a tourist spot, there is no problem for a totally unrelated guy to enter. I understand that in my head, but I inevitably get nervous. I regretted belatedly that the hoodie I bought at the clothing store the other day would have been better clothes. Before that, I even thought I should have bought more decent clothes to wear.

At the huge main entrance that seemed to intimidate everyone who came, doormen were lined up, dealing with the crowd arriving one after another who were clearly rich. What relieved me slightly was that I could join a group of tourists on the long way to the entrance. The doormen were used to it, opening the door smilingly and welcoming the crowd who were not guests. Perhaps because I was nervous, I felt like the doorman frowned only when I passed, but I told myself it was my imagination.

Entering the hotel, the lobby had an atrium so high it felt like you would be thrown out into space, and it felt strange that such a vast space existed on the Moon. Even though it costs at least 1,000 Mool per night, there was a line of guests at the front desk. I looked at my watch and confirmed that there were still nearly fifteen minutes until the promised six o’clock. Since I didn’t have the nerve to leisurely look around the hotel, I regretted being a little too early. Standing still in the hotel lobby covered with bright red carpet, I was suddenly addressed.

“Sir, is something the matter?”

“Guh!”

I jumped back involuntarily. Turning around, a beautiful guide with neatly slicked hair stood wrapped in a crisp uniform.

“Ah… um…”

“Are you staying with us?”

She asked with a smile.

“N-No.”

“Is that so. Our hotel has various facilities for various people to enjoy. If you like, I can guide you?”

To a guy like me who clearly has no money no matter how you look at it, she says such things politely and courteously. However, I finally remembered my business. I am not just a sightseeing kid who came from Earth or the Outer Districts.

“I’m, meeting someone, at the lounge on the first floor.”

I said while choking on my words like a hiccup. The guide woman nodded with a smile as if entrusted with an important message.

“Certainly. Then, I shall guide you.”

And she guided me politely, as if I were some government dignitary.

“It is this way. Please take your time.”

Finally, she put her hands together lightly in front of her body and bowed deeply with her back straight. The figure turning on her heel and walking away was also a perfect movement.

Moreover, as soon as I was guided to the entrance of the cafe, one of the servers waiting by the entrance walked up quickly.

“Welcome. You are meeting someone, yes?”

“Hah? Ah, uh.”

How did he know? While confused, I saw a group brought by another guide in the corner of my vision. While introducing the cafe to the guests, the guide was moving her hand behind her back toward the server. It must be a sign. Amazing, I thought.

“May I ask the name of the person you are meeting?”

“Ah.”

I returned to my senses and looked at the tall, handsome server in front of me. Everyone is tall and slender, but their faces are bursting with smiles. They enjoy their work, no, they must be confident in their work. That’s why they are cool.

“Bu, Burton Cladviesen.”

I managed to get that name out desperately. Then, the server made a surprised face saying “Eh”, and then hurriedly straightened his back and smiled.

“Excuse me. I will guide you.”

“…?”

I was concerned about his momentary surprise, but I was more surprised that just saying the name got through. It seems they remember all the names of reserved guests one by one.

Guided by the server, I proceeded through the cafe where people with typical attire were having tea elegantly. Since there was no ceiling and the cafe was set up in a corner of the atrium lobby, there was a sense of openness. However, the cafe became slightly higher as you went deeper, and there were seats finely partitioned and screened by plants and water tanks. Walking on the carpet where absolutely no footsteps could be heard, passing by a large water tank where a bright red arowana swam, and proceeding along a wall made of foliage plants with beautiful yellow flowers, the server stopped and showed a smile.

“It is right here.”

Then, facing sideways, he said.

“The guest you are meeting has arrived.”

Beyond that gaze, there is Burton Cladviesen. I felt painfully suffocated in my chest.

“Oh, have him come in.”

What I heard was the solid voice of a thick middle-aged man.

“Certainly. Please.”

Guided, I steeled myself and stepped forward. Then, turning diagonally to the left, I looked at the partitioned space. Sitting on the sofa with a phone to his ear was a large man in a suit, with black slicked-back hair and trousers held up by suspenders.

“Well then, sorry, I have a guest. So, I’m counting on you.”

Burton said so, hung up the phone, placed it on the low table, put his hands on his knees, and stood up. He is not very tall, but when he stands up, there is an intimidating feeling like a mountain moving. Since he is not wearing a jacket, the size of his shoulder muscles is clearly visible. His body is so big he looks fat, but he is quite muscular. A heavyweight of the financial district. If asked to imagine and draw a picture of that, surely one would draw a figure like this.

And Burton, standing up and looking at me, froze his smile for an instant.

“My, this is a surprise.”

His eyes were sharp and piercing, but not scary. Saying he was surprised while spreading both arms, there was a magnanimity as if he could hug me right there.

“You are Mr. Yoshiharu Kawaura?”

He called my name with beautiful pronunciation, the mark of a rich person. I nodded and looked straight into the other’s eyes so as not to be underestimated.

“That’s right. Mr. Burton Cladviesen.”

“Haha, Burton is fine. Thanks for coming, young investor.”

Burton thrust out his right hand nyu. His fingers were thick as if crafted one by one, but certainly not stained with oil or anything. There were no rings, typical of a rich person’s image; it was a simple, strong, and thick hand. When I took that hand, he squeezed back painfully, and further grabbed my shoulder firmly with his left hand.

“Hm, a well-trained body. Good, excellent.”

“Th-Thank you.”

“Hahaha. I spend about half of the year down below, you see. When I shake hands with partners who work on the Moon all the time, they often complain that I’m going to break their bones.”

“Down below” probably refers to Earth. Those who consider themselves the cutting edge of humanity on the Moon call Earth “down below.” Apparently, Burton is on the Moon side.

“Well, I’d like to say ‘have a seat,’ but.”

“Eh?”

When I looked at Burton, he was grinning smugly.

“Aren’t you hungry? You came immediately after trading, right?”

Asked, I hesitated but nodded.

“Then, let’s go eat. Do you mind?”

“Ah, y-yes.”

“Actually, I came up from Earth today, just arrived a little while ago. The food on the orbital elevator is inedible, and I had free time. My email reply was fast, wasn’t it?”

He picked up the jacket he had carelessly thrown over the back of the sofa, and instead of putting it on, he hooked it on the tip of his finger and slung it over his shoulder. He acts dignified in such a secluded place meant for VIPs in the cafe of the best hotel on the Moon. Moreover, he doesn’t give money or cards to the waiter.

“Thank you always for your patronage.”

He was bowed to.

“Actually, there’s something I want to eat but… how about you? Is there anything you want to eat?”

No matter how much I pretend to be a rogue trader, there’s no way I, who get twisted around even by Lisa, can handle such an adult. While I was saying “Ah” or “Umm,” Burton slapped my back with his huge hand.

“Hey hey, your brain isn’t working yet from focusing too much on trading? The area around your eyes is stiff.”

And he doesn’t point out that it’s because I’m nervous. I thought he was a magnanimous and kind person, like an uncle.

“Then, is my favorite food okay?”

“Y-Yes.”

“I always eat it when I’m in New York, but surprisingly, it tastes better on the Moon. Maybe it mixes better with low gravity like an alloy.”

“…Haa.”

I have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about, but Burton walked out right through the middle of the main entrance. Immediately, the doorman noticed and raised his hand toward where a black limousine was waiting. Even though Burton walked with large strides, by the time he reached the rotary, the limousine was ready. Burton pulled his chin back with satisfaction, handed a 100-Mool bill to the young doorman, and tapped his shoulder with a large hand. This is a real business card to an angel, I thought.

“Is it your first time riding in a car?”

To me hesitating even though the door was open, Burton directed teasing words. I got a little annoyed and got inside vigorously. A seat that felt like it would swallow my whole body, and in front of me were slender glasses and small liquor bottles. There was even a car phone on the armrest, which I had only seen in movies. While my eyes darted around, Burton pushed his large body in from the opposite door, and the door was closed elegantly.

“To Marivielle, please.”

“Certainly.”

When Burton said one word, the driver nodded. The car started slowly, and at the same time, a black shield rose between the driver and the rear seat. Only when it reached the ceiling perfectly did Burton sink his body into the black leather seat as if relaxing.

“It’s a habit from when I used to hire a personal driver long ago.”

“Eh?”

“I’ve had information leaked by eavesdropping. I intended to pay a not-bad salary, though. Well, it means I was taken for a slightly high retirement allowance.”

While the outside lights quietly flowing in through the fully smoked window glass caressed his face suspiciously, Burton smiled fearlessly at me. The financial district of desire where dog eats dog. I can’t even make a proper response.

“No, but I was surprised by your youth.”

Burton said so at the exquisite timing when silence was about to descend inside the car.

“…You didn’t, know?”

“Yeah. Personal information doesn’t appear at all in the investment contest data. Only your investment name, Hal, appeared. I thought for sure it was a satellite system or something, but you took it from your real name, huh.”

“…Is the fund name ‘The Britannica’ taken from your hometown?”

I managed to retort with that.

“Hmm? No, I like history. Especially, I have a weakness for the arrogance of the British Empire era. Britannica from Pax Britannica. Sounds like a name that would rake in wealth, doesn’t it?”

“…I think it’s cool.”

“Hahaha. Right. Being cool is the best. If I named it Siberia Fund, even the investment performance would freeze!”

Burton talked in high spirits with gestures. The car was running slowly through one of Newton City’s leading downtown areas. Everyone passing by was well-dressed, but how many people could casually ride a limousine like this?

“However, you are truly young. How old are you now?”

“Six, teen.”

“I see. I’m fifty-two. Hmm. I see, sixteen.”

Burton repeated the number sixteen many times, looking at me while making the leather seat creak.

“When I was sixteen, I’m pretty sure I wore glasses like the bottom of milk bottles and did something joke-like, delivering milk. Of course, I invested all the money I earned but… I see, hmm. I don’t want to get old.”

Burton closed his eyes and groaned. When I was troubled for a reply, his eyes snapped open.

“I saw your investment data. Magnificent.”

“…Ah, eh… thanks.”

“Hey hey, not ‘thanks.’ Among a total of 100,000 investors, were you currently fifth? It’s a magnificent result.”

“…But, still far from first place.”

“Umu. Certainly so, but it’s not something to worry about too much. It’s Mr. Troche, right? He’s an Earthling, skipped grades to get an MBA from Harvard, and has an informal job offer from Platinum Smith here. He’s a genius said to appear once in ten years over there. It’s fine not to win now. Don’t worry.”

Burton says so, but I get a little surprised. Why does he know such things?

“The financial district is small. Information about guys on the royal road naturally comes to ears. And, mostly those guys get fished by major crowds dangling stupid rewards. How much do you think Platinum Smith pays a twenty-year-old kid fresh with an MBA?”

“Um…”

I try saying a high reward I heard somewhere.

“300,000, Mool, or something?”

“Hahaha. Close. A fixed salary of 200,000 Mool.”

Just as I thought it was too high after all, Burton added further.

“Plus, a bonus of probably at least 200,000 Mool. More if he makes a profit. Then, about five times worth of first-class usage rights for the orbital elevator. First class on the orbital elevator is too ridiculous to pay out of pocket. Do you know how much a one-way trip is?”

I can’t even imagine. When I shook my head, Burton grinned.

“They say 500,000 Mool per person one way. You could build a house.”

“Fi…”

Five times of that means 2.5 million Mool just for that.

“Show-off Earthlings are easily lured by orbital elevator usage rights. Even though they’ll find it troublesome and stop using it anyway.”

Burton laughed cynically and continued with “So.”

“That’s why, for unknown newcomers, people from side streams like me have come to call out. Sorry, not being a human from the HR department of Platinum Smith or E.J. Rockberg.”

There’s no way I could complain. When I hurriedly shook my head, Burton laughed loudly toward the ceiling.

“Hahahaha! Well, not being a big organization has its good points. If you get promoted in Platinum Smith or such, you’re immediately in a vortex of internal politics. I can’t recommend it to guys who want to stick to being a trader for life.”

“Is, that so?”

“Yeah. If you endure five years on Schrödinger Street, you get enough money to live for a lifetime. From there on, you must think about where to go depending on what you want in life. If you want power and honor, aim for a partner seat at a major investment bank. Junkies purely thrilled by the act of earning money don’t belong to organizations. Like me, or…”

On Burton’s large face, his eyes narrowed like the horizon at dawn.

“Like you?”

“Guh…”

“Fufufu. Well, there’s no loss in calling out to someone with a promising future. I told you I saw your investment data, right? The way you gambled in the early stages was especially good.”

He probably means the margin buying I did without relying on Hagana’s program at all.

“Though, it seems I’m the first to contact you, but that must also be the cause.”

“Eh.”

“Organizations dislike guys who bet big on a single stock. Even small-scale funds hesitate a bit. Guys who bet big make big profits, but when they mess up, it’s also big. Also, because they have a big attitude.”

Lifting his lips widely into a grin, Burton laughed mischievously.

“Many guys think playing with fire like that is the boss’s privilege. Because it’s full of guys who are just bullies grown up as they are. If anything, I like doing stupid things with reckless crowds, so I was attracted.”

While outside lights caressed his face, Burton’s narrow eyes pierced me. I thought, maybe this is how a girl being courted feels.

“Well, let’s talk about such things while eating. It seems we’ve arrived.”

The car drew a large arc and stopped in front of a restaurant. Immediately, the doorman opened the door, and Burton got out first. Saying a word or two, the doorman bowed respectfully and sent a small message to the radio at his collar. Burton doesn’t pay money to the limousine after all. I realize he is a “face.”

“This is a good meat restaurant.”

“Steak?”

“Hmm? Just steak is of course delicious, but I told you I like history, right? In the good old financial district, what a man in suspenders eats is decided!”

Burton, still with his jacket over his shoulder as usual, and I in my dirty appearance, were welcomed with the utmost respect even when entering that luxury restaurant.

“What are we eating?”

“Tartare steak!”

To my words, Burton answered like a child.

---

Honestly, there was no way to describe the food other than delicious.

Burton ordered without even looking at the menu, fluently saying “give me this” and “give me that.”

As for alcohol, he drank nothing but vodka in a cut glass that looked like jewelry, laughing heartily and saying it was good liquor because even pros couldn’t distinguish the taste of vodka.

When I said I had hardly ever drunk alcohol, they brought me carbonated water, but the berry liqueur served as an aperitif was sweet and tasty. The tartare steak was a simple dish of raw meat mixed with various things and chopped, which seemed likely to be popular among the short-tempered and bold men of the financial district.

We talked about investment, but there was more talk about personal matters. The fact that I was running away from home was exposed in an instant. Burton laughed, saying there was no way one could polish investment skills while living a decent life.

So I frankly talked about various things: where I live now, that I’m not going to school, what I’ve done so far, and what I’m going to do from now on. No matter how modestly I thought about it, it seemed Burton was wooing me.

It might just be that he wants to keep an oddball who produced high-efficiency investment performance at a young age close at hand for a while, but even that alone made me feel like ascending to heaven, of course.

However, the decisive words, “Won’t you come to our fund?”, were the only thing not said.

Since it’s our first meeting, I think that’s natural.

However, the handshake at parting was passionate and long.

“I’ll email you again. It was a fun night today.”

I got a ride all the way to the main street of the 6th Outer District.

Coming to the Outer District, the number of cars requiring maintenance costs decreases drastically, and of course, there are no black limousines at all.

Honestly speaking, I couldn’t help but feel proud being seen shaking hands with Burton in front of the limousine. I watched Burton’s limousine until its taillights disappeared beyond the street, and returned to the church with a bouncing gait.

The time was past eleven o’clock. If a policeman found me inadvertently, it seemed likely to become troublesome, but at this time, there were still many people passing by. I chose roads with many people as much as possible, ran, and entered a back alley midway.

Today is the best day of my life.

It’s definitely not for a petty reason like Burton paid for everything. After all, I glimpsed the super-luxury world of Newton City even for a moment and walked inside it. The luxury class within Newton City means the highest class within all of humanity. Burton was a real rich man and a real investor. Such a person called out to me.

I was recognized.

In the quiet residential area, I was tempted to scream many times, and desperately bit my arm to endure it.

Because of that, feeling good on the way, I came to the church along the roofs of houses and ran into Lisa, who seemed to be drinking alcohol with a table out in the garden on the third floor. I shouldn’t be in a position where I have to make excuses to Lisa for being out until late at night, but I still feel a slight sense of guilt.

However, after staring at me intently, Lisa sighed exasperatedly, lightly drank the alcohol in her glass, and stood up from the chair.

“Enter properly from below. Did you eat?”

“…I ate. Or rather, didn’t I say so?”

“I heard. But since you’re in such a good mood, I thought maybe you’re hungry.”

Being told so, I am indeed a little hungry.

“I’ll eat.”

“Yes, yes. Then, from below.”

Lisa said so, entered her room, and closed the window with a patan.

I went down to the first floor as told and went around from the church to the main house.

Although the lights were left on, there was a silence unique to late night.

Shortly after, Lisa came down and reheated the food for me.

“Where did you go?”

Since it wasn’t an interrogating tone, I answered honestly.

“Newton City.”

“…A friend?”

The reason for the slight pause could be guessed from the fact that Lisa, turning over her shoulder, had a slightly teasing smile.

“I don’t have friends.”

“Fufu. I thought Hal would say that. Then… a girl.”

“…Don’t say jokes that even you know are bad.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sorry.”

Lisa shrugged and returned to the cooking.

And since she arranged the reheated items on the table, I sat at the table as if drawn by the good smell. Feeling full turned out to be due to tension. I ate greedily.

“I have a habit of prying, so actually I want to ask inquisitively, but.”

Shoveling pilaf into my mouth, I glared up at Lisa silently while moving my mouth mugumugu.

“I’ll stop because Hal will get angry.”

Nodding that it was a good judgment, I was lightly poked on the head by Lisa. You aren’t my mother, I thought, but I didn’t brush her hand away, and I didn’t feel bad either.

“So, apart from that, there’s something I want to talk to Hal about for a bit.”

“…?”

I sat up and looked at Lisa’s face because her tone was relatively serious.

“Mugu… what is it?”

“Yeah. When you were leaving today, didn’t you pass by Chris-chan?”

“Ah? Ah, come to think of it… Was that huge guy Chris’s father?”

“Yes. He certainly is huge, isn’t he.”

“…Stop mimicking my way of speaking.”

When I said that, Lisa laughed happily.

“So, about that story.”

“Ah, what was it? It wasn’t a delivery, right?”

“Yeah. Well, so…”

Lisa mumbled ambiguously. While carrying the loose pilaf to my mouth, I wondered suspiciously, what story? Lisa let her eyes wander left and right, then said timidly like Hagana.

“They want to entrust Chris-chan’s savings to Hal.”

“Hah?”

I asked back immediately, and rice grains flew.

Lisa pulled back with a disgusted face, but I asked again without caring.

“What did you say?”

“Wait, dirty… Listen, apparently she heard about Hal and Hagana’s story from Hagana.”

“…”

I stared at Lisa collecting rice grains, and then finally resumed chewing.

“That family is also borrowing money from Mr. Toyama. In other words, well… you understand, right?”

Chris’s family, wearing clothes that don’t fit at all, skipping meals during the day to help with home delivery.

I understood in an instant both the motive and purpose for them wanting to entrust money to me, and the sorrow of it.

“Unlike us, that place runs a business, so they’d be in trouble if money is taken all at once. Because they won’t be able to stock up. Besides, there’s no one around here who can return the borrowed amount immediately even if told to. So, if it’s going to be taken anyway, they thought they should do something with a possibility of increasing it.”

“…”

The taste of the pilaf and everything disappeared. It was loose and had a nice texture, but that texture felt like rubber.

I swallowed it down, drank soup, and said.

“How much.”

“…30,000 Mool.”

Too little, I thought immediately.

Working, saving, and accumulating, the precious fund is 30,000 Mool.

That glittering world of Newton City seems like a lie.

“The debt?”

“80,000 Mool.”

“…More than double…”

“Listen, that family is also struggling very much. So, for my part—”

“Ah—, I don’t want to hear it. I know everyone has their own circumstances.”

Especially, my parents’ home was overflowing with that kind of crowd. All of them were miserable and sad, helpless stories. There were many stories so terrible that the speakers talked brightly and candidly about them because they were too terrible, but they must all be largely similar.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have come all the way to the Moon and be running around in confusion over a few tens of thousands of Mool.

“What about Hagana?”

I ask back.

“What did Hagana say?”

Hagana, who hesitated repeatedly even when I said let’s trade with real money.

Rather than whether I accept or not, she would be more important.

“She wants to accept.”

And Lisa says.

“She wants to be useful.”

“…”

I could easily imagine Hagana nodding seriously with those sharp eyes.

Success changes people.

It’s just that cliché phrase, but Hagana probably genuinely wants to help Chris selflessly, and also thinks she can help.

“Even if they entrust the money, well… what Hal and others do basically won’t change, right?”

Lisa says. That is certainly true. Even if we take custody of other people’s money, what we do won’t change.

But there are two problems.

“There is a possibility of loss.”

“…The other party is, of course, aware of that.”

Here, there is me, and a breakwater that I will advance the entire debt in case of emergency.

However, naturally, there are no such stupid freeloaders in other people’s homes.

Slowly, but surely, they are being cornered by debt.

“But, apparently it’s clear that they can’t repay the debt as it is. So, they want to ask.”

“There is one more thing.”

“What?”

I hesitated for a moment, but deciding it was something I had to say, I said this.

“Remuneration.”

I said that one word without running away.

Looking Lisa in the eye from the front, staring seriously, I said.

“There is the matter of remuneration. I don’t intend to work for free.”

“…”

Lisa’s expression changed as expected. She looked at me with an unstable expression, desperately suppressing large emotions, looking like she might start crying or shouting at any moment.

“Remu… neration.”

“That’s right. I took risks to experiment, and I didn’t acquire investment skills easily. Besides, I promised to pay Hagana a proper price as a usage fee for the program. I don’t want to know about Chris’s family circumstances. But without remuneration, I won’t do it. I am.”

Taking a deep breath, I remembered Burton’s profoundness.

“An investor.”

It was the height of pretension, but I didn’t step back an inch in front of Lisa.

If we part ways fighting, that’s fine.

The one troubled is Lisa.

Whether she was thinking that far or not, anyway, after glaring at each other, Lisa slowly opened her mouth.

“…That remuneration is… how much?”

“20% of the profit.”

It’s the same as Hagana’s share, but there is a reason for this.

There are organizations called hedge funds that collect money from clients and where great investors invest.

Their share is 20% of the profit.

At my demand, Lisa distorted her mouth as if she had tasted something bitter.

“…It won’t go lower than that, right?”

“I’m not doing this for fun.”

I could tell Lisa was scattering her hidden passion slowly with deep breaths.

I even felt like her hair, which looked swollen, was gradually settling down.

And finally, closing her eyelids slowly, she sighed heavily.

“Understood. I’ll try conveying it.”

“Of course, I will pay remuneration to Hagana from that profit too.”

“…Yeah. I don’t doubt that part.”

“Then, what do you doubt?”

“…”

Lisa tried to say something for a moment, but closed her mouth once, and then rephrased with a mixed wry smile.

“In the name of Christ, I must admonish greed.”

“…Probably, we’ll never understand each other in our lifetime.”

“Right. But I also understand that Hal is not merely a servant of greed. Offering a not-small part of one’s assets for others is not something easily done.”

About the 30,000 Mool.

I wasn’t honestly happy to be praised, and twisted my lips.

“So, I won’t blame you. Besides…”

“What is it.”

“Hal just now was frustratingly adult.”

“…”

At Lisa’s wry smile, my face became even more bitter.

Scratching my head vigorously, I reached for the rest of the food.

“I will try talking to Hagana.”

“…It would help if you do so.”

I don’t want to argue with Hagana about profits.

If opinions clash even a little, I don’t think she would yield at all.

“But, Hal.”

“Ah?”

Lisa asked from the other side of the table with a truly wondrous face.

“Who on earth did you meet?”

I purposely opened my mouth wide and shoveled in rice, not answering.

If I said it was an arrogant resident of the town of greed, I might be hated.

Lisa didn’t ask further either.

“Thanks for the meal.”

Saying so, I forcibly brought the curtain down on the conversation.