The next morning began with a refreshing shower, the warm water cascading down as I mentally organized the day's tasks. Feeling invigorated, I summoned my ever-efficient butler, Sabith. Without hesitation, I instructed him to fetch a suitable container to hold the set of cards I had meticulously crafted the previous night. True to his impeccable service, Sabith quickly returned, carrying a finely crafted wooden crate made from sturdy oak.
The crate itself was a masterpiece—its smooth surface bore the intricately engraved insignia of my newly established house: a radiant sun. The design was deliberately chosen, symbolizing a direct connection to my company, Apollo. It felt poetic and fitting, as the sun epitomized both the identity of my enterprise and a personal representation of who I am—radiant, powerful, and unyielding.
On the topic of Apollo, I determined that the next essential step for my company's growth was establishing a headquarters—a place that would serve as the central hub for innovation, decision-making, and leadership. I decided to dedicate today to bringing this vision to life. My first task was to finalize agreements with the three individuals I had carefully selected to serve as head chair members: Allison Larsen, Jon Wells, and Theresa Goodman. Each of them was chosen not only for their expertise but also for their ability to embody the values and ambitions of Apollo.
After signing their contracts and formally securing their roles, I planned to delegate an important responsibility to them. They would oversee the onboarding of the additional 18 individuals I had selected for the chair committee—a team of visionaries and experts poised to drive the company forward. This decision was strategic, as it allowed me to focus on higher-level priorities while ensuring that the process of building our leadership structure was in capable hands.
Following the initial design of the bank cards, I introduced a distinctive adjustment to elevate their aesthetic and symbolic presence. Specifically, the first 10,000 cards from the highest tier—the prestigious Black Sun cards—will now feature a magically engraved sun motif on their reverse side. This engraving integrates seamlessly into the card's design, symbolizing power, exclusivity, and the pinnacle of achievement within the banking system.
The hierarchy of the cards is thoughtfully structured into five tiers, each reflecting a distinct level of membership and privilege:
1. Tier 5: Black Sun Card – The elite card reserved for the most distinguished members specifically given by me, adorned with the magical sun engraving and representing unparalleled status and benefits.
2. Tier 4: Gold Card – Denoting high-level membership with striking gold tones that signify wealth and prestige as well as great benefits still available.
3. Tier 3: Silver Card – A refined card for mid-tier members, embodying sophistication and value with the same perks and benefits.
4. Tier 2: Bronze Card– Designed for entry-level membership in the higher tiers, showcasing commitment and reliability of the card holder.
5. Tier 1: Base Card– The foundational card available to all users, marking the entry point into the system.
Each tier is crafted to not only serve its functional purpose but to convey a distinct sense of identity and hierarchy through its design elements. The magical sun engraving on the Black Sun cards adds an ethereal quality, underscoring their uniqueness among the tiers.
The differentiation between the tiers of the bank cards is thoughtfully designed to reflect varying levels of privilege and exclusivity, ensuring a well-defined hierarchy that aligns with both financial benefits and user experience. The distinctions are as follows:
1. Borrowing Power: Each card tier grants different levels of borrowing capacity, with higher tiers offering substantially larger credit limits. This differentiation ensures that members can access financial resources proportional to their level of membership and trust within the system.
2. Perks and Benefits: Exclusive perks are tied to each tier, ranging from basic rewards at lower levels to unparalleled advantages for higher tiers. For instance, gold-tier members might enjoy enhanced savings benefits and travel rewards, while Black Sun cardholders have access to bespoke services and privileges tailored to their unique needs.
3. Interest Rates: Loans acquired through the system are subject to tier-specific interest rates, with higher tiers benefiting from significantly reduced rates. This incentivizes members to ascend the hierarchy and rewards loyalty and dedication to the system.
4. Treatment and Prestige: Higher-tier cardholders receive exceptional treatment, including priority service, access to exclusive lounges, and personalized assistance. This hierarchy elevates the user experience, reinforcing the symbolism and prestige of ascending to higher tiers.
5. Tier 2 to Tier 4 Cards: These tiers are accessible to guild members who actively engage with Apollo's banking services. Through continued use of the bank and Apollo's array of offerings, members can qualify for these tiers, which reflect both their contributions and their integration into the guild's financial ecosystem.
6. Tier 5: Black Sun Card: This tier is reserved exclusively for you. It embodies the pinnacle of status and authority within the system, serving as a symbol of your leadership and unique role. The exclusivity of this card reinforces its significance and underscores the elevated status that comes with possessing it.
After meticulously outlining the differences between the card tiers, I instructed Sabith to proceed with dispatching the prestigious Black Sun cards to the Bank of Apollo. The bank itself had reached a significant milestone in its construction—structurally complete and awaiting only the final touches. These included intricate external detailing, the arrangement of landscaping, and the finishing of interior spaces to align with the bank's grandeur and purpose. Fortunately, it was only the 9th of Imis, leaving a generous 26 days until the grand opening, providing ample time to perfect every remaining detail.
One of my top priorities during the bank's creation was constructing a magical vault—an essential and monumental aspect of the facility. Personally, I dedicated myself to this undertaking, completing the vault through my mastery of magic. The vault lies buried 60 meters beneath the surface, distributed across six subterranean floors. Its design emphasizes both security and functionality: the vault itself occupies a massive space, measuring 200 meters in width, 100 meters in length, and an impressive 50 meters in height.
To enhance its defensive measures, a protective buffer of several meters lies between each floor and the vault, designed as a safeguard against potential threats, including bombings that could compromise the structure. This separation not only fortifies the bank's security but also ensures the preservation of its valuable contents, underscoring the bank's commitment to safety and reliability.
This magical vault stands as a testament to the integration of cutting-edge magical craftsmanship with architectural ingenuity, and it plays a pivotal role in the Bank of Apollo's identity as a sanctuary of trust and innovation.
The vault spanned an impressive volume of 500,000 cubic meters, providing an abundance of storage capacity for the bank's currency. The largest denomination was a coin composed of 20 ounces of pure gold, with a diameter of 25 millimeters—the approximate size of a U.S. quarter. For smaller denominations, such as the Ran and the Thal, coins were crafted from 20 ounces of silver, maintaining the same 25-millimeter diameter.
In theory, the vault could house an estimated 40,000,000 coins if arranged with perfect efficiency. However, accounting for practical limitations such as spacing, structural supports, and other necessary features within the vault, the realistic storage capacity was closer to 38,000,000 coins.
This capacity translated to a maximum monetary value of approximately
38 billion Ran, equivalent to around 3.8 trillion U.S. dollars. This staggering figure far exceeded any immediate storage requirements, ensuring the vault would serve the bank's needs for the foreseeable future.
After finalizing my plans, I proceeded to visit each of the individuals I intended to hire. The process was time-intensive, with each meeting taking approximately two hours, meaning I completed my visits around 5 PM. During each conversation, I outlined the job requirements, the offered compensation, and the initial responsibilities, which included the task of recruiting board members for their respective teams.
Fortunately, every candidate agreed to the terms without hesitation, impressed by the comprehensive preparations I had made. Anticipating the complexity of their onboarding tasks, I had preemptively crafted well-structured contracts that clearly defined their roles and objectives. This step significantly streamlined the process and reduced their workload, enabling them to focus on assembling their teams with confidence.
The day's efforts not only solidified the foundation for the organizational structure but also demonstrated the effectiveness of meticulous preparation—a key factor in ensuring the success of this ambitious venture.
After that, I stopped by the guild, where I delved into the intricate details of a promising mineral mine. I quickly realized that this opportunity could bring in significant profits—exactly what the bank needed to boost its starting capital. Although I was initially only tapping into a modest investment fund, I had set aside 200 Ran from my resources, leaving me with 800 Ran in reserve.
Based on the mine's potential yield, I estimated that I could earn between 2,000 and 3,000 Ran from a dedicated mining operation. This meant embarking on a sustained mining streak over the course of several days, during which I would not only extract valuable minerals but also engage in battles with lurking monsters to earn additional rewards. Each skirmish and successful haul would contribute to my overall profits and even help me upgrade my equipment—though that improvement was a task I decided to postpone until tomorrow.