Chapter 23: Konrad's First Overtime
Wayne rarely took breaks, having worked forty consecutive years without respite. From age six, when his parents were murdered, until now, at forty-six, Wayne has never taken a single day off in those four decades.
Now, he had delegated his usual workload to Konrad.
Konrad was initially thrilled, believing he would finally have the opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities. But when confronted with various tax reports, discussing policies and their ramifications, and mentally simulating outcomes, Konrad felt the weight of genuine pressure.
He surveyed over a dozen drafts, an index of hundreds of phrases, awaiting his strategic planning. Only then did he grasp that the Wayne Group was a massive enterprise controlling 14% of the world's land, with countless matters requiring the CEO's daily personal attention, not to mention the endless additional issues and policies that didn't require top-level consideration.
Konrad inhaled deeply. He could only do his utmost.
Konrad regarded the dense accumulation of data and case files. He took another steadying breath and began his study, his Primarch-level transhuman intellect analyzing everything instantaneously.
He began his work, but the fundamental problem was that tasks kept appearing and never disappeared.
Konrad had been seated in his office since noon, and by eight in the evening, his work remained unfinished. He had intended to surprise Wayne, but there was too much. He had to complete everything before he could even consider rest.
Currently, Wayne has a priority initiative, 'Pensions'.
This involved providing retirement subsidies to every worker under the Wayne Group's employment, deducting a portion of their monthly wages to fund retirement benefits disbursed in their later years.
This project immediately met fierce opposition, as there were virtually no elderly people on Nostramo.
Most died in gang violence during middle age. There existed no cultural concept of growing old, and the nobility, relying on various life-extension technologies, never concerned themselves with aging.
What the Wayne Group sought was 'Care for the young, support for the old': the simplest yet most complex of social projects.
Konrad merely reviewed the Wayne Group's comprehensive plans.
Most critical was the construction of public parks, intending to introduce Evernight Plants. Then there was spatial planning; the Wayne Legion was preparing to undertake construction operations on Nostramo's moon, building a new industrial base.
All of this required vast quantities of manpower and resources while simultaneously defending against interference from rival noble houses.
Konrad felt a headache developing.
Such matters were extraordinarily complex. Simply implementing a pension system for the lower classes, who possessed no concept of retirement, was troublesome. The problem was that Wayne had governed the entire region for twenty years.
Some people were already in their forties, others in their fifties, approaching retirement age. If a pension system wasn't established for them, what would become of them when age claimed their strength?
Currently, everyone's sustenance, expenses, and employment are managed by the Wayne Group. Therefore, the Wayne Group was forcefully implementing this project to ensure these people wouldn't starve in the streets during their twilight years.
Konrad drew a deep breath, marveling at his father's long-term strategic vision.
He became absorbed in additional reports, as this was his first time examining the Wayne Group's operations so thoroughly.
Each year, the Wayne Group's military expenditure constituted an enormous sum.
Now, Wayne planned to seize control of the other Hive Cities' orbital elevators and expand further to occupy additional territories.
The Primarch remained curious about all of this presently, but when he would face overtime every day in the future, he wouldn't appreciate these responsibilities anymore. Not to mention the mutual torment of negotiations with department managers.
...
Wayne was basking in artificial sunlight. Although Nostramo had no sun, he had created an artificial solar environment for himself to relax. The man drank premium wine and ate fries, embodying the philosophy of enjoying himself however he pleased, and no one could object.
He glanced at Adlaine, who wore a swimsuit beside him. The woman was relaxing on the artificial beach. She looked at Wayne and smiled slightly.
"Is this really acceptable?"
"It's fine. I discussed several matters with the failsafe protocols, then decided to grant myself a break, to rest properly. After Nostramo is unified in a few years, I'll let Konrad assume my position in the Wayne Group so I can retire."
Here, 'retirement' meant Wayne would have more time for scientific research and the development of artificial intelligence, as no one truly enjoyed mundane administrative matters.
Wayne rolled over and set the fries aside. This was his first break in forty years, and the sensation was incredibly satisfying. As a transmigrator, he felt nostalgic for his previous life at this moment and couldn't resist taking another bite of fries.
However, his vacation was only three hours long. After this evening's respite, he would return to overtime tomorrow.
The next morning, Wayne arrived at his office to find Konrad, who had worked through the night.
"Haven't you finished yet, Konrad?" Wayne observed the accumulated files in his office, and his son was still laboring there. "Stop for now. I'll handle it."
"No, I can't. I cannot abandon the work you entrusted to me, Father. Is something wrong?"
"I contacted your biological father." Wayne had no intention of concealing this. He would hide certain secrets from Konrad, but not others.
"Is he coming to take me away?"
"He's extremely occupied at present and lacks time to visit. I want to discuss your brother, Konrad. You have nineteen siblings."
Wayne concealed Omegon's existence, since it had been unknown even to the Emperor at first, and many only realized this Primarch existed after the Horus Heresy.
Revealing this directly to Konrad would only embarrass Alpharius and the Emperor, so it was preferable to withhold the information temporarily. He could disclose it later if the opportunity arose. Konrad seemed somewhat surprised that he actually had brothers.
"I assumed he only created me, this singular monster. I didn't expect him to produce an entire batch."
"He's a scoundrel, but also your father, Konrad. You must treat everyone equitably. When you meet him..."
Wayne didn't know what to say. After all, when the Emperor and Konrad met, it would truly overwhelm Konrad, then forcibly bestow upon him a name, and then conscript him into the Great Crusade.
When the Emperor and Konrad finally met, the situation probably wouldn't change significantly. Wayne frowned at this. He wouldn't speak favorably of the Emperor.
"You'll understand when you meet him. I won't elaborate further."
Konrad understood the implication. Even his adoptive father didn't know how to describe his biological father, so it seemed his biological father was an exceptionally complex individual.
"How's the work progressing?"
"Father, how should the pension insurance be structured? What's the difference between starting contributions at fifty, forty, or twenty? And why construct parks? Academy construction is also a bottomless financial pit. Is the military budget too low at only 3.5%? I think ten percent would be appropriate."
Ten percent. Wayne thought Konrad was beginning to sound disturbingly like Roboute Guilliman.
"Hahaha." Wayne couldn't suppress his laughter at his son's Guilliman-esque reasoning. "Take your time. You and I will work through this together."
"Understood, Father."
"In fact, a three percent military budget is already quite substantial. Any higher would prove detrimental to other critical projects. Come, let me educate you."
[End of Chapter]
Sorry for the late update. Couldn't do much work in the hospital in peace.