"Onii-chan, what is your work now?"
Chika, who had cleaned up and was full, returned to Nifuji's office, as she asked him curiously. After all, she could tell that his previous work had changed, and he didn't seem to work in his previous office.
Yet, while she wasn't sure what kind of work he did, she could tell that his career seemed to be better.
"I work at an equity firm."
This equity firm and everything it owned were his, but it was better to keep quiet about it.
"Equity firm?
"A private equity (PE) firm is an investment company that buys stakes in private businesses (companies not listed on a public stock exchange) or takes public companies private."
"..." Chika.
"You can think of it as a 'company that buys other companies.'" Nifuji looked at Chika and said, "My goal is to acquire a business, improve its operations or finances over a few years, and then sell it for a significant profit."
"Hee...." Chika thought for a moment, then said, "It's like my job, then."
"Well, you can say that it is like yours."
Whether it was a manga, a business, or an equity firm, their goal was the same: to make a profit.
Well, in many cases, some might make something because they sought something other than money, such as the perfection of their craftsmanship.
"I think that yours has a deeper meaning, Chika."
Nifuji, who had tidied up his clothes, felt like the world of mangaka was far deeper than his work, which was just to make a profit.
"It depends, I guess. If the mangaka only want to make money, then they are the same as the businessmen, but if the businessmen want to create something better, then aren't they the same as the mangaka?"
"Something deeper than making a profit?"
Nifuji's expression grew odd; he had never thought of this.
"Haven't you thought about what you want to do, Onii-chan?" Chika asked curiously.
"Not yet."
Yup, Nifuji hadn't made a plan for what kind of investments he would make, as he had just acquired everything yesterday, and to make an investment, it wouldn't just be because of his feelings, guts that told him that it was good. Instead, he should do deep research on the objects or something that he wants.
"Then, you should do it, Onii-chan! Try to invest in something meaningful, something that can make you have a better image!"
"...do you think my image is horrible?"
"Haha..." Chika laughed. "You are a pervert, after all, Onii-chan."
"...." Nifuji.
Still, as Chika had said, Nifuji knew that it was better for him to make a good impression than not, especially with his goal to improve Gakken; to improve this company into something that he envisioned, he knew that he would make many people look at him like a monster, as he would collect all the data of his clients.
If he made a good impression based on what he would do in his equity firm, he knew that the resistance to what he planned to do would be less or even zero, as everyone would think that he tried to do his best.
Still, everyone must be curious about what he planned to do with Gakken, the childcare and elderly company, which was just about the size of a midsize company, known as the domestic service provider.
However, it was better to think of that later, especially when, as Chika had said before, if he were still unknown, it would be hard for him to do what he wanted to do, and as he needed time to take over the company, he would try to build his reputation and wealth from this equity firm.
"How?"
Yet, how?
First, it needed to give him money, since it would be meaningless if he invested in something that would generate him a loss. He wanted both the money and the reputation, but frankly, he wasn't even sure in what kind of area he would go.
"Hmm...."
Nifuji looked at the abilities that he had, especially the new ability, which he gained from Rui's reward.
"Delicious."
Yup, it was a simple ability, which was to make something twice as delicious.
If he wanted to make it simpler, it was the automatic MSG (Monosodium glutamate).
When he cooked something, or bought something, or owned something, especially foods, all of them would become twice as delicious.
Was it amazing?
It was more than amazing!
"So, should it be food?"
Nifuji felt that food wasn't a bad choice, as everyone needed food, but what kind of food should he aim for?
Still, he looked at Chika and said, "Enough about me. Is your draft failing again, Chika?"
"....." Chika.
"...yes."
Chika let out a helpless sigh since once again, all the stories that she had prepared, instead of being accepted, all ended up as failures!
How could she not end up in a depression and go directly to Onii-chan!
Fortunately, by drinking his milk, she felt slightly better somehow, but if possible, she wanted more!
"Do you want to take a trip like before?"
"Can we?"
"Do you have enough money?" Nifuji asked curiously.
"Don't worry. I have a lot. I still have my one million reward, and I also did the work of assistant mangaka, so I have plenty of money."
"But all of that will disappear if you go on the trip without thinking."
"..." Chika.
Once again, while Chika was speechless, Nifuji had to admit that she was so wealthy, especially when she had that one million yen (6,400 USD) reward from her newcomer mangaka award.
Yet, despite having won the award, her career wasn't good enough as she repeatedly failed at her work, and never signed the contracts.
Still, it was his first time knowing that Chika also worked as an assistant mangaka.
"How much did you earn from your work as an assistant mangaka, Chika?"
Yup, he knew that his question was rude, as he asked for her income, but Chika didn't think too much and answered, "12,000 yen (77 USD) a day."
"How many hours?"
"Er... 12 to 14 hours?"
"...." Nifuji.
Yup, the world of mangaka is brutal, he thought.