Although Edward himself wasn't particularly interested in the movie Tomie: Unlimited, not everyone shared his attitude. After all, that movie trailer had driven everyone into a frenzy of obsession.
Two famous rich heirs, well-known throughout the League had even publicly confessed their love to Tomie, boldly declaring that as long as she was willing to be their girlfriend, they'd marry her immediately. One even went so far as to promise half of his personal fortune as a dowry.
For a time, the topic caused quite a sensation. These two young heirs weren't nobodies; both were quite famous. One of them had even been the type that fans constantly called "husband" online for a while. Neither of them was married yet and to think, now they'd both suddenly found "life goals" because of a single movie trailer!
While there was certainly some element of hype mixed in, Edward could tell who was being sincere and who wasn't.
"...Hey, you—are you seriously planning to do this?" Edward asked with a strange expression as he looked at the man sitting across from him. The guy's looks were average at best, but he carried an elegant air about him.
Of course, that refinement was heavily influenced by his background after all, even though this man wasn't the heir to some giant conglomerate like Edward, his family assets still exceeded a hundred million. He was, in every sense, a member of the upper class.
"Yes. I really, truly like Miss Tomie," said the man named Roman Maywood, his face deadly serious. On the table lay a share transfer contract as long as Tomie signed it, she would immediately receive 50% of the shares in the video website company Roman owned. He was literally ready to hand over half his empire, along with his personal bank cards and other assets.
For ordinary couples, giving one's lover a bank card might not be unusual. But for the wealthy, that was practically unheard of. Finances in rich families were managed by professional accountants; even the "lady of the house" usually only had access to a personal allowance card, not full control over the family's finances.
Yet here was Roman, prepared to do just that. Edward found it utterly absurd—so absurd that he wondered if he'd misheard. But looking at Roman's expression, he realized it wasn't a misunderstanding. Roman was serious—dead serious.
"...Tomie's at the amusement park right now, you know? You could just line up like everyone else and see her," Edward said helplessly. He really couldn't figure this guy out. Tomie's whereabouts weren't exactly secret, and even her fan club, the Tomie Support Association, knew where she was. Yet Roman still came to find him.
If Roman hadn't been a childhood friend, Edward wouldn't have spared the time to meet him—he'd been far too busy lately.
"I know. But... she refused to see me. She even seemed angry," Roman sighed bitterly.
Who would've thought, the great Roman, a self-proclaimed playboy who once swore to never be tied down by any woman—would one day be utterly smitten? From the moment he saw Tomie, he'd even started thinking up names for their future children.
"Wait... don't tell me you cleared the crowd so you could meet her alone?" Edward asked, half exasperated, half amused.
Roman nodded earnestly. "But don't get me wrong, I wasn't being unreasonable. I compensated everyone in line—two hundred each."
Edward rolled his eyes. Same old Roman.
It brought back memories of their school days, when Roman had transferred in and immediately handed out brand-new game consoles and smartphones to every student in class—just to make an impression.
He'd always been an eccentric one. Back then, he even wrote a love letter to every single girl in class, which earned him a scolding from the homeroom teacher. Afterward, he'd even come begging Edward as he is known for his excellent writing skills to ghostwrite his love letters, offering a thousand pokedollars as payment. If Edward hadn't already been wealthy himself, he might've been tempted.
"Tomie doesn't like that kind of behavior. She actually values her fans quite a lot," Edward coughed lightly. "Those tourists you drove off were her entertainment. Do you really think she'd be happy about that? If she didn't already behead you and stuff your head into a slug, that probably means she was in a good mood."
"Huh? Really? I thought she'd changed her lifestyle by now." Roman looked stunned. After all, Tomie was massively popular these days—countless companies were vying to have her endorse their products. Just agreeing to a single endorsement could skyrocket her to new heights, earning more money in an instant than most hardworking people would see in a lifetime.
For Edward who himself had once been a struggling small-town student in his past life, had a complicated feeling. It reminded him of those people who went viral online with a single video, becoming overnight sensations. In a world like this, good looks really were a resource.
"Tomie... she's special. Honestly, I think you'd better give up. Even if your father handed over your entire company to her, she'd probably just find it boring," Edward said solemnly. He didn't want his friend to end up trapped in a hopeless infatuation.
Would Tomie ever be moved?
No.
Tomie's very existence was to toy with human emotions—to watch them fight and bleed for her amusement. That was her joy. Under such a premise, there was no "winning her heart."
Edward had even asked her once out of curiosity and learned that in another world, Tomie had been pursued by one of the most powerful tycoons—and she'd driven him to despair until he committed suicide.
Clearly, money, so effective in most cases was worthless before someone like her.
"So... do I still have a chance?" Roman asked weakly. He knew Edward wouldn't joke about this. They'd known each other for years, and their friendship had a solid foundation. But faced with this reality, Roman couldn't help but feel dejected. Money was the only thing he truly had; his looks weren't exactly something to boast about.
"No chance. None of us have any. Not me, not anyone. Trust me, it's better to let go. Go chase a livestreamer or influencer instead," Edward said firmly. He knew Tomie's personality too well to sugarcoat it.
Roman sighed. "Eh... those influencers are all the same. Send a few gifts, say a few sweet words, and they're in your arms. There's no thrill in that."
Edward wasn't surprised. In their social circle, influencers were nothing more than fleeting distractions. Some were just out for quick cash; others sought fame and connections.
"Well, forget Tomie. That's my advice," Edward said irritably. He really couldn't understand his friend. To pursue Tomie was to seek death. The only kind of man who might amuse her would be someone like Deadpool—immortal, unpredictable, and immune to fear or pain.
Roman sighed again, but he knew Edward wouldn't lie to him. That alone was enough to convince him the warning was real. Still, ever since he saw that movie trailer, he hadn't been able to get Tomie out of his head. He'd even commissioned a company to make a Tomie Pokémon illusion, crafted by a Zoroark master. It was lifelike—but still, it lacked the indescribable allure of the real Tomie.
"Wait... what about that Oak guy?" Roman suddenly asked.
Edward paused for a second. He knew exactly which "Oak" Roman meant—and it wasn't Professor Oak. The great Professor Oak would never get involved in something so ridiculous. If not for the occasional TV interview, Edward might've thought the professor didn't even use the internet.
No, this "Oak" was another rich heir—the other one who had confessed to Tomie and offered a fortune. But this one was far more volatile.
While other heirs flaunted their cars, savings, or girlfriends, this "Oak" flaunted his battle records. He was famous online for arguing with haters and taking them to court—literally. His legal threats stacked up to several floors' worth of paperwork, and he'd even successfully sued and jailed several trolls. Those who weren't jailed had long since begged for mercy.
Thus, this Oak was infamous online as "The Short-Tempered Bro", even changing his username to "Raging Oak." He was practically a celebrity in his own right.
He, too, had confessed to Tomie, offering conditions similar to Roman's. But given his aggressive personality, he'd probably go as far as to harass her persistently.
"Let him. He'll regret it soon enough," Edward said with a chuckle. He wasn't worried in the slightest. Getting Tomie to even glance your way was already a miracle and if you annoyed her, she would definitely retaliate. Her revenge methods were... unspeakably cruel.
Edward couldn't help but light a candle in his heart for Oak. Hopefully, the man would survive mentally intact.
"By the way, Edward... about that hospital project of yours—could I maybe..." Roman rubbed his hands awkwardly. Edward narrowed his eyes. He'd suspected this visit had an ulterior motive—and now it was confirmed.
"What do you want? If you're thinking of buying shares, forget it. That hospital only accepts League funding besides mine." Edward calmly sipped his tea. Zoroark's tea-making skills had improved a lot recently—bitter at first, sweet after, with a wonderfully smooth aftertaste.
"No, no, I'm not trying to buy in. My dad's pharmaceutical company recently developed a patent—specifically for diabetes. I was hoping to collaborate with your hospital under your guidelines, providing the medicine. But... I'd also like our product to be prescribed a bit more often," Roman admitted at last.
Edward frowned slightly, his expression darkening.
"Don't get me wrong—it really works. You can check it yourself," Roman quickly explained, knowing Edward's concerns. After all, he was well aware of the kind of foundation and hospital Edward ran.
Edward tapped the table. "If it's truly effective, then fine. But if it's overpriced compared to other diabetes medications, the doctors won't prescribe it."
He trusted Roman's character enough not to suspect anything shady—at least not yet. He'd have Zoroark investigate later.
"Don't worry, it's affordable. And the results are excellent," Roman said confidently.
Edward didn't comment further. Later, after Zoroark investigated and confirmed the medicine's effectiveness, he agreed to the cooperation.
Although the price was a bit higher, the doctors in Edward's hospital always adjusted prescriptions based on patients' financial conditions. Those who could afford better drugs got the best; those who couldn't were prescribed standard options.
Being a doctor these days wasn't easy—you needed empathy and sharp judgment. In some places, doctors even needed self-defense training.
But not in Edward's hospital.
The security team there was elite—they'd already captured numerous medical troublemakers and sent them straight to court.
(End of Chapter)
TN: Hey guys, I'm sorry for not updating again. I got sick and got too busy after that to do any reading or updating here really.