Chapter 3 : But now

A 5-star hotel near Santa Monica.

The bed in the penthouse suite, boasting a whopping $10,000 per night price tag, was indeed incredibly soft. Are all the beds in top-tier rooms of the best hotels of this quality?

‘I need to buy a bed this good for my home later.’

With that resolution, I listened to David Kim’s report, who visited me after several days, while leaning on the bed.

“The Korean remittance you requested earlier was completed quickly. We minimized taxes as much as possible within legal limits, and…”

“I’ll check the details in writing later. Basically, you’re saying we paid less than the original taxes, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then it’s fine.”

I waved my hand. Meaning he could leave now.

However, David Kim didn’t leave despite my dismissal. Instead, I could sense him quietly swallowing hard. His heart had been pounding since he entered the room, so it seems my diligent persuasion over the past few days had worked.

‘Has he finally made up his mind? He’s a bit indecisive.’

I looked up at him with an indifferent face.

Honestly, my offer wasn’t bad, it even had considerable merit, yet he 고민 over it for ‘days’. Isn’t he a bit of a coward?

David Kim, minus 10 points.

But, well. I can still understand.

‘Well, he might lack some confidence. Considering his profession, being too overconfident might not be good.’

As I thought that, David Kim slowly opened his mouth.

“About the offer you made last time.”

“Chief of Staff?”

“Yes, that…”

David Kim hesitated for a moment, looking at me, then spoke.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m sorry.”

“…Hmm, what’s the problem?”

I tilted my head.

I don’t understand. Why refuse this?

Then David replied with an awkward smile.

“I’m an asset manager. I can handle tasks related to money, but I can’t perform the role of a secretary.”

Ah, it wasn’t his field of expertise.

I thought PBs at banks were like the head butlers of noble families often seen in other worlds, managing the wealthy, but I guess not.

This is my fault for assuming. As I nodded understandingly, David Kim hastily added.

“However, if you hire me as someone to manage your assets, I’m willing to move from Goldman Sachs. Even if that’s not the case, I’ll do my best to manage your assets as a PB.”

“Hmm.”

Asset management. Honestly, money is secondary. Right now, I need a secretary to make my life easier.

I pondered for a moment. Then, I came up with a good idea.

“Then let’s do this.”

“How…”

“I’ll hire you for now. I’ll start a company for investment purposes, and you’ll be the CEO. All my asset management will be done through that company.”

At the mention of becoming the CEO of a company that would manage 27 trillion won, David Kim’s heartbeat grew so loud it felt like it was right next to my ear. Tsk, why do I have to hear a 40-year-old man’s heartbeat?

“The annual salary is three times that of Goldman Sachs. Generous incentives too. Instead, for the time being, David Kim will be my secretary.”

“That’s…”

“It’s temporary, just for a while. During that time, find someone else to take on the role of my Chief of Staff. If you find someone quickly, you can escape from the tedious tasks quickly, right?”

At my words, David Kim swallowed hard again.

I checked his face and stood up. Seeing me about to leave the hotel room without even hearing his answer, David Kim said in a panic.

“I, I haven’t said I accept yet.”

At that, I chuckled.

“It’s pretty much the same as saying yes. Isn’t it?”

“…”

“I look forward to working with you.”

*

As I left the hotel, I organized my thoughts.

‘For now, David Kim will be enough.’

Honestly, a secretary is indispensable.

When I lived as the proxy of the main god in another world, there was always someone to help me with everything from miscellaneous office work to my daily life. I’ve already become accustomed to being taken care of by someone.

Having lived like that for years, my ability to manage my own life is at a catastrophic level. It’s irreparably broken. So, I definitely needed someone to take care of my life.

Of course, I could learn everything from now on, but since I’m overflowing with money, is there any reason not to use people?

“Hmm.”

I leaned back comfortably on a luxurious sofa in the hotel lobby and organized my thoughts while sipping a Zero Pop Lime.

‘What do I do now.’

It doesn’t mean what to do right this instant.

It’s about my future life.

Thinking about how to live the rest of my life, I felt my energy draining. I slumped on the luxurious sofa like melted cheese and sighed.

‘I have plenty of money. Even if I spend it wildly for the rest of my life, I probably won’t be able to use it all up.’

They say only those who’ve spent money know how to spend it well, and perhaps it’s a habit from my penniless orphan days, but I’m not good at overspending or wasting money.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m a super stingy person who saves every penny. Anyway, it’s unlikely I’ll ever use up all 27 trillion won. Well, that’s probably true for most people.

‘But since I have a lot of money, I don’t really need to work.’

27 trillion won. A fortune with 13 digits.

At this level, even if I just park it in the bank, the interest accruing will be more than what I spend. There’s no reason to labor to earn money.

So, should I just spend my remaining years living leisurely, spending money? Like a shut-in bum?

“…I can’t possibly do that.”

-Clench!

I gritted my teeth.

The main god willingly sent me back to Korea, and the huge sum of 27 trillion won was a reward for my devotion.

Actually, none of that was what I expected. I didn’t even consider these things when I decided to return to Earth.

But.

‘I didn’t come back to become a… bum.’

I didn’t struggle so hard to return just to become a loafing idler, a rich bum. If I were going to live like that, I might as well have stayed there.

At least then, there was some intensity.

‘Who am I? I can’t live like that.’

I am the savior of another world. The proxy of the main god.

A hero.

Such a person, to fall so low? I can’t.

If that’s the case….

‘It’s better to die.’

But.

No matter how much I think, I don’t know what to do.

I released the tightly clenched fist. Seeing the veins popping out on the back of my hand, I felt my energy draining again.

“Sigh.”

I sighed and sucked the remaining Zero Pop Lime in the glass through the straw. Then I stood up.

During this vacation, I’ll think hard.

If I still can’t come to a conclusion….

I smiled bitterly.

It’s an unavoidable fate.

*

After that, I played around like crazy for about two weeks.

I roamed around California, sightseeing, visited some theme park, and learned the taste of spending money by shopping at a department store.

But it wasn’t particularly fun.

No matter what I did, I didn’t feel happy, and I wasn’t particularly interested. My body kept moving, but my mind was sluggish like waterlogged cotton. I guess you could say I was just ‘pretending to play’.

‘…The best thing was probably gambling.’

I heard there was a famous casino, so I went and played some cards, and gambling was more enjoyable than I thought.

Of course, it wasn’t incredibly exciting or anything. With my senses, I could see through poker faces and figure out the opponent’s hand, so how could the game be fun?

After winning about 2 million dollars, my interest completely disappeared.

“Sigh.”

A sigh escaped involuntarily.

The reason for this state was obvious.

My worries about what to do next are filling my brain to the point of overflowing, so how could anything else enter? Unless I can somehow extract that thought, I’ll be no different from a brain-dead zombie moving around.

As I wandered aimlessly down the street.

-Flash!

A brightly lit sign caught my eye.

[THE V-BOX]

“…V Box?”

I couldn’t tell what kind of place it was just from the name, but I felt a strange pull. It was like someone was calling me to go there.

I asked the bodyguard if he knew the place.

“It’s a virtual reality retro game center.”

“Virtual reality game center?”

“Yes. It’s a center that deals with old games remade in virtual reality versions, and it’s quite famous here in California. You haven’t heard of it?”

Well, I’m not from here.

“Hmm.”

I licked my lips.

Virtual reality has been around for a while, but I’ve never tried it. A penniless orphan who has to worry about making a living can’t afford such an expensive and costly hobby.

‘I’ve seen virtual reality game broadcasts a few times though.’

Since it was expensive, I couldn’t even think about trying it.

‘But now I have money?’

Then.

Shall I try it once?

Since nothing seems to be enjoyable anyway, I should try something I haven’t done before. I entered the game center as if possessed.

The interior design of the game center had a strong old-fashioned feel. The brightly contrasting neon lights against the warm-colored red brick walls were somewhat unique, making me feel like I had time-traveled to the past.

Below it, there were many virtual machines.

The round, wide capsule-shaped machines lined up reminded me of an old sci-fi movie I once saw.

“…Let’s try it for now.”

I entered a nearby empty machine.

A slightly used, soft seat gently wrapped around my back, and a helmet that completely covered my head was put on.

The next moment, I was standing in the middle of a lobby with many people walking around. There were huge arcade game machines around, and it seemed like I could access each game through them.

“Technology has really advanced a lot…”

To implement such realistic virtual reality.

I slowly moved my hands and feet.

The movement is quite natural.

No, it’s not just natural, it’s….

‘…My senses seem to be directly connected.’

At that moment.

Numerous thoughts flashed through my mind.

Extremely sensitive and superior senses. Virtual reality. Near-perfect synchronization. The superhuman body provided by the game. The best performance that no one else can show.

And.

-Gulp.

This, I needed to confirm.

I immediately ran to a nearby giant game machine.

[Assault Gear]

I don’t know what kind of game it is, but it doesn’t matter.

I just need to know if I can do it.

I immediately pressed the large start button.

Then, in an instant, the view changed, and a space full of asteroids spread out before my eyes. I quickly looked around and saw that I was riding in a spaceship that looked like a bee.

Information about how to control this spaceship appears in front of me. I quickly scroll down, grasp the content in an instant, and skip the tutorial process, starting the game immediately.

Then, following my will, following my senses, the spaceship accelerates. In an instant, the surrounding asteroids pass by.

‘I can do it.’

I accelerated further.

As the speed increased tremendously, countless asteroids brushed past. The slightest mistake would mean crashing into those rocks at full speed and game over.

But.

‘I can do it!’

I avoided all of that.

Passing by the numerous asteroids that blocked my path, as if performing aerobatics with a spaceship controlled by my senses.

I was sure.

‘I can do it!’

Virtual reality.

Here, I, like in that world.

Can reach the top.