"I still can't believe it," she said. "To think all our yearly troubles were fixed in just one meeting."
"Just like your watch, it's time to move forward."
"Yeah, you're right," she softly agreed. "But how can we repay you for all that you've done?"
"While you're the feudal lord, I actually work for someone who owns a significant part of your country."
Toki blinked in shock before asking, "Really? Who is it?"
"Diana," he answered, waiting to gauge her reaction.
The name was immediately recognized, causing Toki to become bewildered.
"Diana?" she repeated. "You mean the world's richest woman? But how could she buy out the Land of Birds without informing anyone?"
Arthur didn't miss his chance.
"The implications of her wealth extend far beyond the typical purchase. You might say it was part of her broader strategy to ensure economic stability, although I wouldn't be able to speak further on that matter. If this offends you, I greatly apologize on her behalf."
"Don't apologize," Toki said upon understanding the situation. "Who was I to discredit the man who just saved my family? The last thing you need to do is be apologetic." Then her voice trailed off. "But still… I don't see how I can repay this act you've done."
Arthur lightly chuckled and said, "You don't need to compensate me directly. But if you insist on helping, the least you could do is ensure your citizens know that construction and landmarks will be built to further the prosperity of this country."
Toki thoughtfully regarded him. What he was insinuating was a potential partnership with the world's richest woman.
"As strange as this sounds," she began, "I can agree to that. But I want to meet with Diana to discuss these changes and what direction we'll take moving forward."
Arthur figured she would want that, considering she was still the feudal lord. The last thing someone in her position wanted was to be downgraded or have others change their land just because they had money.
Arthur knew this because he was also in her position once. As such, he knew exactly what to say.
In a more serious tone, he relayed, "I could always ruin your reputation for lying about your identity as a feudal lord. I'm sure the villagers would impeach you indefinitely…"
Toki gulped as she questioned, "Had I stepped out of line by wishing to meet your caregiver? I—"
"Relax," he said with a warm smile. "Diana would be more than willing to meet you. And I'm sure that she'll appreciate your boldness for having done what you did to ensure your family's legacy."
A sigh of relief later, Toki replied, "Thank you. I… I honestly was worried about crossing some boundary I wasn't aware of."
Truth be told, he could have just placed her under a genjutsu. But why go that far? He was so skilled at manipulating others that his words alone were enough to sway their hearts.
Eventually, Toki declared that she would still have to reveal her deception to the villagers. They deserve to know the truth, and she was ready to acknowledge her actions as well as apologize for her masquerade.
Arthur could only encourage her to act while promising that she would retain her position if they were to disagree.
After their discussion, the two of them made their way toward the main square of the village.
There, Toki stood before the villagers and was ready to reveal the truth about her identity and her desires for things to come.
She first expressed how she had spent years living as her deceased brother, Sagi, in order to protect the inhabitants from various dangers, but now she was prepared to reclaim her true self and lead them openly.
As the crowd quieted, she addressed them with conviction and explained her story as well as her motivations. She emphasized that her leadership was rooted in a desire for justice, not only for her family but for the well-being of the whole country.
This exposure shocked many, leading them to question if all this was true.
Only when they saw Hōki bound in chains did they begin to believe.
Despite their initial mistrust, Toki expressed her commitment to prioritizing the villagers' needs and promised to help them rebuild and thrive. She acknowledged their skepticism and welcomed their questions as valid to earn their trust again.
Encouraged by her integrity, some villagers began to voice their support, which sparked acceptance of her leadership.
"Who do we have to thank for having solved this case?!" a villager yelled out.
But when Toki turned to give Arthur the stage, he was missing.
This only prompted her to smile as she answered, "Our hero's already left, but I can assure you that we'll see him again one day."
When all was said and done, Arthur had already teleported to the Land of Money.
There, he was disguised as a figure Diana knew well. He crossed towards the main building that housed her operations, and when he saw the camera at the entrance, he stared at it for a moment.
Immediately after, a security guard intercepted him to say, "Halt! Who goes there?"
"I'm here to see Diana," he responded.
The guard not only gave a skeptical look, he also seemed offended that Arthur hadn't addressed her properly. Before the guard could further question him, Diana suddenly emerged.
"What are you doing?" she snapped at the guard with a sharp tone.
"My lady, I—"
"Step aside," she interrupted, allowing Arthur entrance.
There was a collective astonishment of those in the main lobby as he passed through the doorway.
Arthur and her moved toward the elevator at the far end of the atrium. Inside the enclosed space, she regarded him with narrowed eyes.
"If I hadn't been told of your arrival from the cameras," she began, "would you have hurt anyone?"
Arthur didn't respond immediately. He stood like a statue. "I have no need to cause trouble in your company."
Her interest was piqued. He appeared uninvited yet purposeful.
As they ascended, she couldn't help but focus on his demeanour. He'd been the only one for ages who had never addressed her by her formal title—truly a mysterious figure worth opening the doors for.
When the doors opened and they entered into her office, she motioned him to take a seat, but he remained standing.
This hadn't bothered her, so she asked straightway, "What brings you here today?"
"What do you feel about owning a country?"
Truth be told, she practically owned half of this one. Yet that didn't stop her from considering his question.
"I assume you're not referring to this one," she answered. "Even with all the wealth I possess, I wouldn't be able to own the Land of—"
"Birds," he interrupted.
"Hmm?"
"The Land of Birds. How would you feel about owning that country?"
Owning might not have been the right choice of words here. He was really asking her how she would feel about devoting her time to one—much like an investment.
Investing in a country was no easy feat, no matter how rich someone was, as it involved politics, economy, and cultural factors that can greatly impact the success of that investment.
Foreign investors, like herself, often faced significant challenges such as fluctuating regulatory environments, unpredictable radical stability, and varying degrees of market transparency, which could lead to increased risks and uncertainties.
Additionally, they are understanding the local customs and consumer behaviour.
So what, though? Someone could buy a country just because they were rich. But if they didn't understand market penetration, they'd find it difficult to build the necessary networks within the local business community.
Before Diana could give him a good answer, she had to understand something first.
She therefore walked toward the end of the room and pulled out a folder from her neatly organized shelves. She returned and opened the contents. Arthur saw that it detailed all the statistics from the Land of Birds.
"This place is impoverished," she said with intrigue. "I could buy ten Land of Birds if I wanted…" she then paused upon understanding why he had asked her such a question. "You… you own this land, don't you?"
"Indeed…"
"And you'd want me to take control?"
"Yes and no," he answered. "I'd like you to invest in it."
"I see," she thought, fingers over her chin. "Considering this is an undeveloped settlement, you'd like me to fund projects there. What do you see as profit?"
Arthur quite liked Diana; she didn't say "we," knowing that this was not a partnership.
But when he offered no words and his gaze became cold and unyielding, she said, "Right… What do you need me to do?"
"Contact all your connections, access all your accounts in foreign countries, and withdraw sixty percent of your assets to store them in crates."
Diana had heard many things in her days, but this was one of the most peculiar things she'd had to cope with. Who could blame her when her greatest benefactor was asking for her to invest more than half of her earnings in him?
"I hope you know," she started, "I'm not reckless with my wealth. You've helped me get to a higher status, but that doesn't mean you were the one who made me who I am today."
"When the crates are sealed," he said, blatantly ignoring her, "move them to the borders for me to privately collect at night."
Now she was a tad frustrated. No one spoke to her that way.
"Let's negotiate like professionals since you're so bent on having me fund this little project of yours."
As a response, he turned his back on her.
"Wait," she called, opening a drawer. "At least sign this contract…"
When she finished scrambling for her papers, she looked up, only to see that he had already vanished.
She sighed before sinking back in her chair.
"I hope you know what you're doing," she whispered seemingly to no one.
This was going to be a giant investment, as she knew. And for Arthur to have come uninvited, in the open, that meant that he was also taking a big risk here.
"Alright then," she finally accepted.
She then began shuffling through more papers in search of every scrap of financial support she could muster. She opened files, scanned spreadsheets, and even wrote various letters to be sent out.
Arthur had disrupted the order of her world, and she found him to be quite interesting because of that.
It was clear that he had no desire for her money. If anything, she was thinking that her money was actually his.
As for why he bothered to make himself known to others, it was because he needed her commitment to join him in whatever schemes he had for the Land of Birds.
She pushed her hair back from her face. The thing that bothered her was how easily dismissed she was. No one, absolutely no one discharged her like that.
Did he think the world's richest women on the west side would go light on his cause? If it's an investment he needed, then it's an investment she would give him that would exceed those expectations.
It's then that she walked toward a painting in the room. Removing the portrait, a secret wall was revealed with what looked like a massive door to a safe.
She spun the lock three times to input the correct combination. Then the safe opened to reveal neatly stacked certificates and metals, such as diamonds and gold bars.
There was only one thing going on in Diana's head, and that's if she were to place a big bet on anyone, it would have to be Arthur Bennett.