Ch.358353 – Big Spender

[ILikeCateMatesBest donated 10,000 won!]

-If you win this round, how about 100,000 won per kill?

[100,000 won per kill? Wait a minute, CatMates, can you actually afford it if I get over 20 kills? I’ll have to bring out my secret weapon then.]

-Big spender alert wow

-Suspiciously suspicious furry bruh

-Chosen by the golden cat!

-Not even a high schooler but a cat lover lol

-Is this person actually a chaebol? Always throwing money around.

└ That’s NoName’s manager.

└ They appeared briefly in the UFC episode and gave off real wealthy vibes.

Three women gathered to do nothing more exciting than eat spicy rice cakes and chicken while watching a livestream.

“So even the ultra-rich order chicken delivery.”

“I think I’ve heard that comment about a million times in my life.”

The only area where our interests overlapped was watching streams.

Adella had no interest in cosmetics, Lee Bo-reum hated traveling, and I was clueless about music, movies, and dramas.

“Wow, seriously loaded. Don’t your parents say anything about spending that much money?”

Adella asked grumpily while gnawing on a chicken leg.

“I get my own separate allowance though?”

Bo-reum was stroking Adella’s tail, which was resting on her lap.

She must have successfully negotiated exclusive rights to Adella’s tail through some kind of deal.

“You get a separate allowance? Then what’s this?”

“Oh, this is stock dividends. Dad scrutinizes where I use my card, but dividends go directly into my personal account so it’s fine. Mmm, pine scent smells so good, Della. I want to make it my room fragrance.”

“HISSSS!”

Bo-reum brought the tail to her philtrum, causing Adella to bristle her fur.

I became curious too and asked:

“Does it taste like anything?”

“No. It doesn’t taste like anything.”

“Sensing aura isn’t easy. You’d need to wrap each taste bud with aura. And even then, most people would only taste bitterness.”

“Yeah, that’s right, it’s such a shame. But I’m satisfied with the pine scent.”

“My tail isn’t public property! Hey, Bo-reum! Don’t put your capsaicin-covered mouth on my tail!”

Adella reclaimed her tail.

Apparently tired of constantly yelling, she finally deactivated her external manifestation.

I don’t understand why she’s so hypersensitive about something that isn’t even her real body.

A cat’s delicate sensibilities are difficult to comprehend.

“Name, is the tteokbokki too spicy? Is it edible?”

“Yeah. If it gets too spicy, I neutralize it with aura.”

“Why go through all that trouble to eat it…?”

“I can’t handle spicy food, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it.”

“Aww, our streamer is so brave!”

While I was nibbling meat off the chicken wings, the two girls with healthy appetites devoured the tteokbokki in no time.

Meanwhile, the streamer who accepted the donation challenge actually achieved 20 kills but lost all the money due to the team’s defeat.

Bo-reum typed a merciless chat message while cackling.

“But isn’t that a really twisted hobby?”

“Compared to kids renting officetel rooms for drug parties, it’s an extremely wholesome hobby.”

“Ugh. That’s an unfair comparison! Who does that? Your friends?”

“I don’t know, I’ve cut ties with all of them now. My dad doesn’t care what I do as long as I don’t cause trouble. He’d probably encourage watching streams more.”

“What’s the world of the ultra-rich like? Can’t you tell me a little bit? I’m super curious!”

Adella rested her chin on her hand, eyes sparkling.

She really does love money, that one.

Bo-reum answered nonchalantly.

“There’s nothing… particularly special. From what I know, the studious ones study hard and go to the US for college, while those who like partying usually tour omakase restaurants or attend fashion shows. Then they network with celebrities they meet there, have dinner together, and sometimes do drugs when bored.”

“Why does everything end with drugs?!”

“All my genuinely decent friends went to the Academy, so I don’t know how they’re doing.”

“Talk about extremes.”

“When you have money, people tend to split into extremes. Everyone lives how they want. But wait, aren’t you the real rich one, Name? 200 billion won!”

“I spent it all on her.”

“Oh… right, that happened…”

“I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! My existence in this world is the problem!”

Adella pounded her chest dramatically, expressing her indignation.

Her reactions are so entertaining, it’s hard not to tease her.

Enough small talk, time to get to the main point.

“Bo-reum, about that money I borrowed—”

“Ahaha, it’s fine, it’s fine! You don’t need to pay it back! I got to meet the noble Lady Adella in real life, so what’s a little money compared to that!”

“Don’t just call me ‘lady’ without treating me like one!”

“Hmm, which high school do you go to, Della? Maybe I should transfer there?”

“I’ll kill you if you do!”

“Both of you, quiet down!”

I clapped my hands loudly to calm the chaotic duo.

It’s so hard to get a word in.

“Actually, there’s a reason I called us together today. I thought Bo-reum might find it interesting too.”

“Oh, our streamer is plotting something again! I approve!”

“How about listening first before deciding?”

I placed my phone on the floor and turned on hologram mode.

“Adella, could you close the curtains?”

“Yes!”

In the darkened living room, a soft blue light emerged in an inverted pyramid structure.

I kept zooming in on a pale blue dot with my finger.

I spread the spherical Earth that appeared in the center with both hands to display a two-dimensional world map.

“A map? Planning a world trip?”

I shook my head at Adella’s question.

“No, do you know how many major foundations exist in the US? Those with over 100 high-ranking mages.”

“No idea.”

“More than 50. Exactly 53.”

Red pins appeared, marking the locations of each foundation’s headquarters.

“China has 20, Japan has 9, while Korea has only 4.”

The Raon Clan was notably one of Korea’s four major clans.

Surprisingly, Changcheon Namgung was only a medium-sized clan with about 30 members, far from being among the top four.

“I’ve been thinking deeply about this. Why do people keep making life difficult for me? Do I really need to leave Korea to solve all these problems?”

The recent tax audit clearly showed malice directed at me.

The Board of Audit and Inspection is supposedly investigating the National Tax Service, but they’ll probably just issue a warning at most.

If they had found even the slightest irregularity in Bio-Akashic’s accounting books, public opinion would have turned against me.

Lately, I’ve felt like I’m walking on thin ice.

“But my conclusion is that it would be the same anywhere in the world. They might pretend to be nice at first, but eventually they’d just use me. Even you, Adella. What do you think would happen if your identity was exposed right now?”

“Um… I’ve never thought about it?”

“If you’re lucky, it would be the National Intelligence Service. If not, you’d be kidnapped and taken abroad immediately. This isn’t ordinary magic.”

“Definitely… it’s magic that everyone in the world would covet. I’ve never heard of anything like it.”

Bo-reum agreed with a serious expression.

Simply becoming stronger as an individual doesn’t mean much.

Thinking back to my past life, even I barely survived when 10,000 criminals attacked relentlessly day and night.

If this happened in a high-power fantasy world where individual differences are more pronounced, what about here?

Mana is scarce, meaning if the supply from mana power plants is cut off, we’d have to fight with extremely limited aura.

“Do you know why soccer players pass the ball? Because humans can’t run faster than the ball. Similarly, two people are stronger than one, and three are stronger than two.”

The nobleman who commanded those 10,000 soldiers was a worthless pig.

But like a king protected by numerous chess pieces, his security was so robust that breaking through took forever.

In the end, you need power.

Not to wield it against others, but to protect yourself.

I’m completely done with being used by the Imperial family like a hero party only to be betrayed later.

Having died twice, I should have learned something by now.

“I’m going to create a clan.”

“A clan?”

Currently, anywhere in the world, it’s strictly prohibited by law for individuals to accumulate large amounts of mana.

Giving mana freely to anyone always poses a risk of overthrowing the state.

The only exception is clans.

Does that mean clans don’t have the power to topple nations? No.

It’s just that clans’ influence is so great that they can’t be touched carelessly.

“Name, establishing a clan isn’t easy. It requires a lot of money for starters.”

“I know. Most Korean clans have corporate sponsorships. Our country doesn’t have as many wealthy individuals as the US or China. That’s why I’m asking you, Bo-reum. Samyeon Group doesn’t sponsor any clan yet.”

Most global companies sponsor one or more clans for security or to discover innovative technologies.

However, Samyeon was in a somewhat unique position.

They’re a B2B company that installs mana infrastructure like base stations in Korea.

Since the government protects them, they never needed help from clans, and having already secured a monopolistic position, they could simply buy any new technology that emerged.

Yet sponsoring small clans for marketing purposes wouldn’t be cost-effective.

“It doesn’t have to be Samyeon. Getting sponsorship depends entirely on my abilities. I just mentioned it because you said you’re from the Samyeon chaebol family.”

Bo-reum’s concern deepened.

I wasn’t unaware of her position within her family.

Her father treated her as a half-abandoned child.

It would be strange for her to suddenly participate in management now.

The choice was entirely hers.

“And there are other conditions. First, you need to become a high-ranking mage to establish one.”

Bo-reum’s knowledge level was surprisingly impressive.

As expected of someone from a wealthy family.

“Yes, that’s right. And what are the conditions for becoming a high-ranking mage?”

“First, you need to create an A-class innate magic.”

Bo-reum counted on her fingers as she spoke.

“What else?”

“You need to pay over 1 billion won in taxes to the Korea Mana Corporation.”

“Yes, and?”

“Lastly, you need recommendations from five or more high-ranking military mages recognized by the state… was it six?”

“Five is correct.”

Actually, the first requirement is the most important, while the rest are just testing patriotism.

“Ah!”

Bo-reum clapped her hands as if realizing something.

“Name, you already!”

“Yes. I’ve already created an A-class innate magic called Adera.”

After Emika returned to Japan, sales that had dipped suddenly skyrocketed again.

No matter how many variations emerge, people ultimately prefer the original.

“And what’s 1 billion won? I paid 200 billion.”

It still feels unfair thinking about it, but what can you do? You have to follow the law.

“Then the recommenders.”

“My dad and Principal Gu On-yu of Cephiron Academy. I just need three more.”

By establishing a clan, I’ll strengthen my position within Korea.

It might be a distant future, but if this clan grows to a global scale,

Walpurgis will be completely erased from this world map.