### Chapter 22
The daily routine of a corporate president truly revolves without a moment’s pause.
With every blink of an eye, documents pile up, and I have to quickly assess if their contents are in line with current trends and beneficial for the company.
On a single day, I go through hundreds of pages of paperwork, sometimes even having to recall the details of documents I glanced over a year or two ago.
I couldn’t entrust this work to my secretaries or subordinates. The documents that come to the president have already been filtered and require the final sign-off from me—matters that only I, as the president, should handle.
In the midst of my busy days, I took a moment to catch my breath and fidgeted with a gift sent by one of my subordinates.
So this is a self-defense gadget made by the Scientist.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary watch, but according to the Scientist, it contained a barrier capable of resisting a hit from most villains’ powers, and it even had the function to take down such villains in a single blow!
With my knowledge and common sense, I couldn’t fathom how all those functions could fit into such a tiny watch… but since the Scientist wasn’t one to abide by conventional logic, I decided to let it slide.
The design was a bit lackluster—but I slipped the watch onto my wrist, grinning as I returned to my paperwork.
“Madam President? A letter has arrived.”
“Ah… has that time come already?”
While working diligently, I heard my secretary and checked the letter. It was an invitation.
An invitation to the Royal Party where conglomerates representing different cities gather in one place.
The event I hated the most.
Reading through the date, location, and instructions for the event, I wrinkled my brows. There was a new stipulation at the bottom that hadn’t been there before.
‘…Attend with a partner?’
That phrase elicited a reflexive sigh, but I couldn’t ignore it. Not participating in such an event meant falling behind the times. No matter how powerful the Evilus corporation was, pissing off other conglomerates was not a good idea.
Ultimately, I began to contemplate who I could take as a partner.
The problem was that I had no one suitable to bring along.
*
“A party?”
“Yep, a party.”
Apparently, there’s a party for the upper crust. A gathering where the business tycoons representing each city mingle in their own little world.
Hearing that such a party existed outside of just movies or dramas made me gasp in awe. It really hit me hard that the girl in front of me was one of the magnates who controlled the economy of this land.
“Scientist. I want you to be my partner at this event.”
“Me? I don’t even know what to do at a party.”
“No worries. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. After all, you’re one of my most trusted subordinates.”
I couldn’t hide my shock at the Boss’s words and retorted, “A partner? Me?”
Sure, I graduated college and was a civilized individual, but I wasn’t nearly specialized enough to play the role of a conglomerate partner. Even if I had learned related knowledge, pretending to be a magnate’s partner would be a stretch.
Just like how, no matter how much a modern person studies about medieval nobles, they wouldn’t realistically be able to act like one if they suddenly traveled back in time—my understanding of what a conglomerate partner does came solely from what I’ve seen on TV. Nothing more.
However, after hearing the following words from the Boss, I found myself unable to refuse the role.
“If it’s not you, I was thinking about asking Galm or Ayle…”
“I’ll do it.”
Upon hearing that either a muscle-brained beast or a gloomy introvert who would get crushed like a bug amongst the corporate elite would be the alternative, I immediately accepted the role of the partner.
It seemed way better for me to go out and stir things up rather than letting those two walk in and cause chaos.
Just look at the talent pool of the evil organization… how is it even possible that there’s no one decent to take to a party?
Then again, it’s rather surprising that a villain organization would have anyone fitting to take to an upper-class event. Typically, villains are criminals, losers, outcasts, and trash.
If they had the sophistication to blend into high society, they likely wouldn’t have become villains in the first place.
“Do I need to prepare anything?”
“Hmm—good point. Scientist, do you have a suit?”
“Yeah, I have a few ready-made ones…”
“No, not just regular clothes. I meant a tailored suit. So, what do we have… Kitty?”
“Yes, Miss.”
With a snap of her fingers, Regalia summoned her secretary and then pointed at me like a judge passing a death sentence.
“─Take him.”
“Understood.”
“Uh, wait—?”
Having been dragged off by the secretary, I quickly got a tailored suit made, learned the etiquette to maintain at upper-class parties, and studied what food was okay to eat and what wasn’t, who the attending corporate CEOs were along with their backgrounds, and who I could talk to and who I shouldn’t.
It truly felt like my head would split from all the information crammed in at once. Even now, I could barely recall which CEO ran what company and what their relationship was with the Boss. I loathed memorizing such things…
By the time I finally finished retaining all that information, there was only one thing left to prepare for:
The day of the Royal Party for the upper class was approaching.
*
“Move it, move it!”
“I said remove the food that might cause allergic reactions!”
“When are the heroes coming!?”
In Hotel A of City A.
This hotel, which typically prided itself on maintaining an air of sophistication and hospitality, was extraordinarily busy today.
Anyone who knew who the guests arriving at the hotel today would be would react just like its staff.
“The presidents are coming! We mustn’t disappoint them!”
“This is our chance to prove that our A Hotel stands levels above the rest!”
Today, the Royal Party, where the top conglomerates from every city gather, was to be held at A Hotel.
Each person was a figure that you’d expect to see on TV, and if you added up all of their wealth, it could buy half the world—a ridiculous joke that felt far from being a joke.
It goes without saying that the hotel staff, being mere hoteliers, were feeling the pressure.
A vehicle arrived at the hotel’s entrance once again.
“Hmm—so this is the hotel…”
“Do you have bad memories here?”
“No, the hotel is fine, but the owner here… has some rather… eccentric tendencies.”
Exiting the vehicle, Regalia entered the hotel with Eight’s escort. A staff member waiting at the entrance rushed over and bowed while greeting them.
“Welcome. I’m Begle, your host for today. Miss Regalia? You’ve come with your daughter. The banquet hall is this way.”
“No, no. This is Miss Regalia. I’m her partner.”
“E-Excuse me?”
The hotelier, who had misunderstood their status, stared blankly between Eight and Regalia. Seeing this expression, Eight nodded understandingly.
Regalia is a teenager. It’s hard to believe she runs a conglomerate—one might even think she’s just the daughter of Eight accompanying him.
Moreover, due to the peculiar nature of her being a teenager running a massive corporation, Regalia rarely revealed her face or identity to the outside world. It was quite reasonable for the hotelier, knowing just the name “Regalia,” to confuse the two.
However, that didn’t mean the mistake could be excused.
“I-I’m so sorry─!”
Having realized his mistake, the hotelier quickly bowed deeply in apology. Eight looked at the Boss as if asking what to do. Regalia, seeing no reason to waste time here, ignored the hotelier and stepped inside.
Maybe having overheard the previous conversation, a new staff member quickly intervened to guide them to the banquet hall, being extremely cautious due to the previous mistake.
As we arrived at the banquet hall, treated more like hazardous materials than honored guests, the gazes of those already waiting focused on us. The sudden attention made Eight feel a sense of awe inside.
Wow, it feels like there’s such a deadly aura in the air…
These were indeed the giants who dominated the world. Their gazes held a weight and intensity reminiscent of what I felt from Regalia the first time I landed in this world.
Yet none of them exuded the same level of presence as Regalia.
As if to unmistakably announce who she was, Regalia broadcasted an imposing aura. The vibe of this young titan who guided a massive corporation without a hitch soon enveloped the entire banquet hall.
Only now did the gathered people start to reduce the intensity of their gazes and approached her slowly.
“It’s been a while. Young Miss Regalia.”
“President Eden, it’s nice to see you again.”
“By the way, how’s the company doing these days?”
Regalia tossed aside the elderly woman tone she usually adopted as the boss of an evil organization and greeted the approaching figures in a manner befitting her age.
It was quite an unusual sight, but I couldn’t just stand there staring. As the conversation between the two presidents deepened, it quickly spiraled into matters that I found completely incomprehensible.
Talk of how to manipulate the economy this year, discussions about controlling grain exports for mutual benefit with neighboring countries…
Leaving Regalia to discuss things completely beyond my grasp, I naturally wandered toward the group of partners, meaning to mingle with the offspring and subordinates that other CEOs had brought with them.
It was rather remarkable that Regalia had brought me. The partners that other conglomerate heads had brought were all heirs—the direct children of the presidents. They seemed to converse without an ounce of unease, as if they had known each other for ages.
“─This time, I’m investing in a semiconductor company—”
“Oh, how about investing in AI instead? This time, the strong AI…”
“That’s already too inflated. The prospect of it going any higher is…”
Just as I hopped out of the frying pan and landed in the fire, I found their heir-to-the-throne dialogues entertaining enough to just start munching on some snacks.
As I hunched over, gleefully munching away like a joker, a woman in a dress approached me casually to strike up a conversation.
“You seem bored, don’t you?”
“Uh? Oh, not really.”
“Fufu—don’t lie. It’s written all over your face.”
The woman, wearing a dress that showcased her cleavage, leaned close to me, her body brushing against my suit. The sight of her openly displayed assets and the warmth of her skin made it hard to ignore.
She leaned into me, opening her mouth slightly to speak.
“I’m Lize. What about you, what’s your name?”
“Raemon.”
“Raemon, huh… what a lovely name.”
When I casually tossed out the name I commonly used for my fake identities, Lize chewed on it several times, savoring its sound. Watching her, I suddenly felt a shiver running down my spine.
“It seems we’re about the same age, why don’t we drop the formalities?”
“No, thanks.”
As I watched her trying to breach the physical and psychological barriers without constraint, I remembered reading about her a few days ago: Lize, the heiress of Baphomet Corporation, the largest company in City B.
It became clear why she was approaching me.
With Regalia having no known family, it’s only natural that she’d want to pry into the identity of the adult male she suddenly brought along. Was I the teenage president’s little girlfriend or a future successor to manage the corporation? She was probably curious to find out.
Unfortunately for her, I was neither. I was an executive working for the evil organization that Regalia led—a Scientist. But naturally, I couldn’t say that to her. I needed to think of a way to express who I was while scanning around the room.
‘─Found it.’
Spotting a grand piano tucked away in one corner of the banquet hall, I downed the wine in my hand in one gulp and headed straight for it.
Regalia probably wouldn’t want me to reveal my true identity outright. But considering I had come this far, staying silent wouldn’t do either. People simply couldn’t curb their curiosity, especially those who hold power.
It seemed better for me to unveil who I was on my own terms before they started poking their noses into it.
“Hold this for a second.”
“…Where are you going?”
“You’ll see.”
I approached the piano, which was still unoccupied as the performer hadn’t arrived yet. Sitting down, I lifted the lid off the keys and started warming up my fingers.
Do-Re-Mi. The notes reverberated from the keys, pulling everyone’s attention towards me. At the same time, memories from my university days began resurfacing—I recalled the countless scores I’d had to learn until they became second nature.
There hasn’t been a Mozart or Beethoven in this world.
In that case, the musical selection was clear.
A piece from a genius that has never existed in this world.
Mondscheinsonate.
*
─♪ ♩ ♪ ♪ ♩ ♪ ♪ ♩
The piano notes rang out. Their crisp, refreshing sound made the chatting CEOs turn their heads in unison. It struck their ears with such force, a sound so unexpectedly beautiful—and yet unknown to them—that their attention was immediately seized.
Captivated, the presidents gasped in awe. Even though they were well-versed in classical music as part of their educational culture, they had never heard this composition before.
And the same went for Regalia.
Scientist!? What on earth is he doing…!
Seeing Eight suddenly playing the piano, Regalia couldn’t help but mentally scream. She only brought him along as a partner, expecting him to just stay quietly beside her—
Why did he keep causing a scene?
As much as Regalia wanted to firmly scold him, she had to keep her mouth shut. Expressing strong emotions in a setting like this would only expose her weaknesses.
And most importantly—preventing him would be hard when the music floating through the air was so spectacularly sweet.
“…It’s beautiful.”
Eden, who had been conversing with Regalia, couldn’t help but let out a sigh of admiration. He looked at Regalia with envy as he muttered.
“I thought you had brought a young lover with you… but it seems he’s an artist friend?”
“…I wanted to keep it a secret.”
“I can understand. I would have kept it under wraps too. A piece like this… makes you want to monopolize it all for yourself.”
Eden thanked Regalia for daring to share this melody with them.
And in that moment, all individuals present were focused solely on the music.
The CEOs, typically preoccupied with something in their minds, were accessing a tranquil state for once, entirely lost in the melody played by Eight’s fingers.
The end of the chapter.
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