I stood in the quiet office of Uncle Gao Martin, the weight of my mother's history settling on my shoulders. The name Joonam—the land my grandfather fought for—felt heavy and powerful.
"Old man Gao," I asked, my voice low. "This grandfather you are talking about... is he from my father's side or my mother's?"
Gao Martin looked at me with a soft, sad smile. "It is from your mother, Lina Venan. Your grandfather was Jami Venan, and your grandmother was Celestara Venan. They were the true founders of this place."
He leaned back, his eyes clouded with old memories. "They died shortly after the Cataclysm. Back then, they called out to many countries and kingdoms for help, but no one came. The monsters were roaming everywhere, and the land was so isolated that no kingdom dared to claim it. Your grandparents didn't run. They stayed to protect the people when the rest of the world turned its back."
I felt a sharp pang of pride mixed with sorrow. My mother had never spoken of them; the pain of their loss must have been too great. They were heroes who died for a land that was now being picked apart by vultures.
"So," I said, my eyes narrowing. "What about the Batan family? Why are they causing trouble?"
Gao's face darkened instantly. "They are greedy. They brought in foreign capitalists to mine something called Black Stones. In small amounts, they can power things, but they are a curse. Too much exposure leads to early aging and a strange, abnormal heat that burns a person up from the inside. It's a slow poison for the environment and for any unawakened person nearby."
He slammed his hand lightly on the desk. "I refused their mining permits, and they started threatening me. Now, they have moved to Diamond City, the capital of Galena, to gather more influence. They want to come back and strip Joonam of its stones, no matter who gets sick."
I walked out of the City Hall, the sun high over the rising skeleton of the SIGLAV Tower. I opened my Banio laptop and sat on a stone bench, my fingers flying across the keys.
"UIA, scan the market for Black Stone prices and environmental impact reports."
UIA: Accessing... Master, Black Stones are currently trading at a high price due to their use in cheap, high-output energy cells. However, the data confirms Uncle Gao's warning. The extraction process releases toxic thermal radiation. It is highly profitable, but it destroys the land and the health of those living near the mines.
"So they want to get rich by killing our home," I muttered.
I looked at the contract Uncle Gao had given me—the one that granted me free land in exchange for the welfare of the people. The Batan family thought they could use their influence in Diamond City to bully a small village. They didn't know that the "orphan" they looked down on was sitting on a multibillion-star cash war chest.
"They won't be coming back," I said firmly. "Not as long as I'm standing. My grandfather, Jami, didn't die for this land just so some distant relatives could poison it for a few credits."
The Lord of Joonam
I looked toward the dark treeline of the Monsters' Den. My family's legacy was here, and I had the resources to protect it. It was time to stop being just a student and start being the Lord of Joonam.
I had already begun the work. FaceTalk, SIGLAV CORP, and SIGLAV Bank were already bringing real jobs to the people, giving them a way to earn a living without digging up poison. I had chased the Batan family out once, and I had made them my enemies in the process. They were in the capital now, plotting, but I was here on the ground, building the future.
"I won't rush this," I whispered to myself. "I'll build it brick by brick until this land is a fortress they can never touch again."
I leaned back on the stone bench, the cool breeze from the Monsters' Den forest hitting my face. The wealth I had gathered was finally being put to work to cement my control over Joonam.
"UIA, let's move the pieces," I commanded, my eyes fixed on the blueprints on my screen. "Allocate 100 billion Creds from my personal account to SIGLAV Bank. I want to fund a massive expansion. Set the interest rate on loans to 10%. If the people can get cheap money from me, they'll never look at the Batan family or foreign capitalists again."
UIA: Allocation complete. The 10% interest rate will effectively monopolize the local lending market, Master.
"Good. Now, take 20,000,000,000 Creds and push it into the Home Project. I want a high-end housing estate built—modern, secure, and worthy of the people who stood by my family. We aren't just building houses; we're building a legacy."
UIA: Processing housing project... Master, what about the SIGLAV Guild? You haven't allocated funds for the hunters' headquarters yet.
I shook my head. "It is not necessary right now. It has been revealed that I am the rightful owner of this land by blood and contract. The Guild can wait. Right now, I need to focus on the foundation of the state."
"And what about the Governor?" I mused, thinking of the man with the gold-tipped cane. "He will hand over the title of Lord of Joonam to me sooner or later. He knows he is just a caretaker holding the seat warm for the true heir. He can't do anything to stop the momentum of SIGLAV."
I looked at the notifications on my Banio laptop. The foreign kingdoms were still waiting for their encrypted messages.
"Let's focus on the work at hand. They've already paid their half-deposits. I told them it would take two months, but they got lucky this time. I'll finish all their complex redesigns in the next two days while I'm here."
"UIA," I continued, "we are changing the purpose of the site where the Guild was supposed to be. Turn it into a massive Research Center. I want two distinct groups: one for Military Research to keep our contract with the General, and another for General Science to improve our people's lives."
"The current fund is too small. Add another 30,000,000,000 Creds to the research budget. I want the best equipment, the best labs, and the best security."
UIA: Updating allocations. Total Research Fund: 30 Billion Creds. The conversion of the Guild site to the Joonam Research Complex is underway. You are effectively turning this isolated village into the technological capital of the region.
I closed my laptop. My sisters were still at home, likely showing my mom how to use her new high-speed terminal. With these moves, the Batan family wouldn't just be finding a rival when they returned from Diamond City—they would be finding a fortress.
Current Project Allocations
SIGLAV Bank Expansion: 100,000,000,000 Creds (10% Loan Interest)
Joonam Estate (Housing): 20,000,000,000 Creds
Joonam Research Complex: 30,000,000,000 Creds
Personal Account: Still holding over ☆1 Billion Star Cash.