* * *

After the sparring ended, on the way out of the training ground.

Perhaps because things went better than expected, my steps were light, and I felt as if I could fly.

“It’s thanks to you, Carl.”

I expressed my gratitude to Carl, who made a significant contribution to today’s victory.

“Because you helped, I could win the sparring.”

Even after the item effect ended, I was able to beat the Crown Prince thanks to his diligent training.

“Thank you so much.”

“…….”

Carl looked at me with a peculiar expression. His lukewarm response made me look at him too.

When our eyes met, his handsome lips moved coldly.

“Is there a reason to thank me? Did you forget I didn’t want to cooperate with my master at first?”

“No, I remember.”

“Then there’s no need to thank me. It’s not like I helped voluntarily.”

It seemed Carl’s philosophy was that help not given by choice didn’t deserve gratitude.

Well, that’s possible.

To be a true master who respects my bondservant, I said.

“Alright, then I’m not thankful.”

“…….”

“Just kidding, I’m really grateful. Anyway, it’s true that you helped me. It’s not like saying thanks will harm me.”

“How can you be sure? What if I start looking down on you because of this?”

To Carl’s counterargument, I flipped my hair arrogantly and chuckled.

“Didn’t you see my skills earlier? If you look down on me, you’ll get beaten too.”

“I’m stronger than your sparring partner.”

“You do know he was His Highness the Crown Prince, right?”

“So what? Rank doesn’t guarantee skill.”

That’s true.

Come to think of it, since I beat the Crown Prince after being trained by Carl, maybe Carl is indeed better?

“So, I have a bondservant stronger than His Highness the Crown Prince? Wow, my bondservant is the best.”

I gave him a thumbs-up. Carl turned his head with an ambiguous expression.

He looked into the distance and murmured softly.

“You seem like an unusual person, Master.”

“You’re unusual too.”

Lately, I’ve been noticing something about Carl. He seems more like someone who lost his place rather than his memory.

Despite being a wandering swordsman, he seemed accustomed to commanding others, showed no fear in front of nobles, and spoke in a way that seemed unusual for a commoner.

What on earth did he do before meeting me?

‘Isn’t there a way to cure Carl’s amnesia…?’

Ah, should I check his personal information?

I might find clues about Carl’s memory.

I was about to open his information, but―.

【This character’s information cannot be accessed at this time. Please try again later.】

Denied.

‘What…?’

Does losing memory mean the information isn’t available? Even for an extra?

Carl glanced at me, who was caught up in serious thoughts, and casually asked.

“What are you thinking?”

“…Oh? Just… how I could help you regain your memory.”

“Why. Now that the sparring is over, do you finally want to abandon me?”

“There you go again. I told you I won’t abandon you, okay? I’ll take responsibility as far as I can.”

Of course, once I see the ending, I’ll leave for the 5 billion lottery, but until then, I’ll take care of him.

When I sternly warned him not to say such things again, Carl nodded insincerely.

Does this bondservant see me as his master or not?

‘…Anyway, I’ll try this again later. Before I leave, I want to help him regain his memory as much as possible.’

As we chatted and walked, we soon arrived at the main building.

“You can leave me here.”

I waved to Carl at the entrance. He retreated obediently.

“Understood.”

“Good job today. Rest well, Carl.”

“You too, Master.”

Carl replied indifferently and strode off towards the servants’ quarters.

I watched his tall back for a moment before turning around.

At the same time, a system window appeared before my eyes.

— Ding!

【Congratulations. Second mission cleared!

As a reward, I’ll give you a hint about the male lead.】

Oh, that surprised me.

The sudden window startled me, but reading the content made my lips curl up.

【Hint: One of the male leads will get injured in the plaza street a week from now.】

Oh, so if I go and save or treat him, I can earn points and immediately find the male lead?

‘Great, I’ll have to hang around the plaza from now on.’

4. The Newbie Investor is Reaching Too Much

I started taking Carl with me to wander around the plaza every day.

Getting injured here likely means the male lead frequently passes by or has a special errand.

‘Maybe I’ll meet the male lead beforehand?’

Swelling with anticipation, I circled the plaza area and discovered an interesting fact.

This world doesn’t have science, but it has magic instead.

Just like we use machines made by science in the modern world, people here favored magical tools created by magic.

Magic hearths for lighting fires, magical boxes that lower temperature to prevent food spoilage, trains powered by magic stones, and more.

They were more deeply embedded in the daily lives of ordinary citizens than I had thought.

For example, even now―.

“Why did you buy that from Clarke? Don’t you know Warren is the trend these days?”

“Hey, but you can’t beat Clarke’s tradition. They’ll rise again once they get their act together.”

“That’s easier said than done. I hear there’s no one left to carry on the legacy of the founding creator….”

Passing by, two elderly gentlemen bickered about Clarke and Warren.

They were the names of the two major magical tool development companies.

I learned this after stopping by a magical tool shop out of curiosity.

“Are you on a treasure hunt or something? If you’re going for a walk, why not go to the park?”

Carl, seemingly bored of circling the same places, suggested.

“Oh, I’m really on a treasure hunt, so keep quiet, bondservant.”

“What kind of treasure. Jewels? Gold coins?”

“No, a person shining like gold. Like that woman over there―.”

I pointed at the blonde that caught my eye without much thought, then was startled when I saw her face.

Huh?

‘It’s Deborah?’

Deborah was coming out with a very disgruntled face.

The building she emerged from had white walls and a red-painted roof.

“Hmm, is it a restaurant?”

Carl glanced at where I was looking and informed me, sounding incredulous.

“It’s the Central Stock Exchange.”

Stocks…?

“Wow, they have stocks here too.”

Is this the taste of a K-romance fantasy game?

Carl looked at me with a mix of pity and disdain as I marveled with sparkling eyes.

“Read the newspaper once in a while.”

Ahem, this bondservant brat.

I bought a newspaper from a street vendor.

The headline on the front page read as follows.

<Miracle Construction’s Stock Soars! Duke Celsior Sits on a Pile of Money Again>

Oh-ho.

‘I needed money anyway, maybe I should dabble in stocks too?’

There was something I realized through the sparring with the Crown Prince.

Without the financial power to support myself, people would likely continue to see me as a leech clinging to the Duke of Diart.

That would naturally form a negative image of me, making it hard to connect with the male lead.

‘Since I’ll be frequenting the plaza anyway, let’s give it a try!’

In my original world, I had made some money through stocks.

Of course, my seed money was insignificant, so the profits were small and precious.

The important thing was that I didn’t lose money!

Having made up my mind, I returned to the Duke’s residence and gathered all the jewelry I had.

Hmm, it’s pathetic.

Even if I sell all this, I doubt I’ll get 100,000 gold…

‘No choice. There’s a saying that even if the start is weak, the end will be grand.’

From then on, I diligently studied the stocks of this world.

Shailyn, who lived almost confined in the count’s residence, lacked this type of knowledge, so I had to start from scratch and build it up.

While skimming through the stock exchange listings and the latest economic newspapers, I found an intriguing article.

<Clarke Magical Tool Company Appoints Margaret Schwartz as New Chairman!>

Recently, I became interested in magical tools and found out that Clarke’s founder’s daughter married a man with the surname Schwartz.

In other words, the new chairman of Clarke is a descendant of the founder.

‘Clarke lost trust because all the initial employees left.’

But if a descendant of the founder takes over, there’s a high possibility that customers who left Clarke might return.

Even recalling the conversation between the elderly gentlemen suggested that. This is the strength of a company with tradition.

‘In the long term, it might be a good or bad thing, but… for now, it’s a positive factor for the stock to rise.’

Great.

Having boldly decided on the stock to buy, I set out with Carl the next day.