The water still ran down Luna's body in crystal-clear droplets as she stepped out of the Olympic-sized pool.
A linen tablecloth threaded with gold was laid out by one of the servants, and Ivy had already prepared the lunch selection: salmon in a black passion fruit sauce, young leaves of enchanted arugula, and a glass of white wine so pure it almost sang in soft notes.
He ate lunch in silence.
It was not a silence of solitude.
When he finished, he picked up the holographic key to his special customized Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
He walked down the mansion's garage with determined steps.
The Ferrari was waiting for her under dimmed ambient light, the engine's roar already starting when her presence was detected.
"Time to buy a throne for my Foundation," he muttered, opening the door theatrically.
As soon as he stepped on the pedal, the city became a scene.
The traffic seemed to sense its enormity. Ordinary cars instinctively made way.
Some braked before even seeing her in the rearview mirror, others swerved out of their lane as if guided by a primal survival instinct.
On the central road of the imperial capital, where not even princes dared to speed, Luna cruised at 230 km/h with the calm of someone who is late to judge mortals.
Some drones tried to follow her, for photos or instant reports, but the Tycoon System tried to emit an obfuscation signal.
Around him, the air trembled with the arrogance of the engine.
Arriving at the Imperial Central Real Estate Agency, he parked with an elegant turn, causing the windows of the surrounding cars to vibrate.
Wearing a casual caramel-black ensemble, silver sunglasses, and a loose bun, Luna stepped out of the car like a supermodel who forgot she was also a billionaire.
At the entrance, a robot-person from their foundation, masculine in appearance and formal attire, was already waiting. The name on his badge was LEO–UGP 04.
"Miss Malroth," he bowed precisely. "We've selected a three-story building in the heart of the capital. The real estate team is waiting for us on the third floor."
"I hope so," Luna said, without losing her smile. "Today I have limited patience and an unlimited credit card."
They entered the building with its polarized glass and minimalist but efficient architecture.
The elevator took them to the Premium Service floor, where, theoretically, high-caliber clients were greeted by experts with filtered information and breathtaking presentations.
Theoretically.
Because when the doors opened… no one was expecting it.
Not even a receptionist.
Not even a broker.
Not even a floating aromatic coffee for the minimum of rich dignity.
Luna blinked once.
He looked at LEO.
"Did you notify the arrival?"
"Three times."
She crossed her arms. She waited a minute. Then two.
He sat down in one of the armchairs… and waited three more.
Nothing.
Just distant sounds of keyboards and muffled laughter.
"They're ignoring me… because they think I'm just another poorly dressed rich person who fell from the sky without a registered inheritance," she murmured, as if talking to herself.
But the robot listened.
"Do you want me to hack the internal records?"
"Not yet. I want to see how far mediocrity will go."
Then, just as Luna was about to leave the place and buy a building online just for kicks, a figure approached with light, almost hesitant steps.
She was a girl of about eighteen, short and thin, with long brown hair tied in a double braid and a name tag that read "Intern in Training – Ellie." Her smile was a mix of nervousness and excitement.
"I-I'm sorry for the delay, ma'am! Everyone's busy with another client, but… I saw your name and thought I could help! Can I show you some available properties?"
Luna looked at her for long seconds.
So many that Ellie nearly fainted, thinking she would be fired or disintegrated from embarrassment.
But Luna simply replied, "Show us what you've got. Let's see if the system here is just incompetent... or underestimates young women."
Ellie led the two to a side table, activated the holographic display panel, and began presenting a sequence of properties… which Luna absorbed in seconds with her sharp mind.
The problem?
All the buildings presented were old, low, poorly positioned, and with structures worthy of renovations from 40 years ago.
"This one was built in 1973, but was renovated in 2012…"
"This other one was a porn cinema in the 80s, but today it serves as… a convention center…"
Luna narrowed her eyes. "And... modern buildings? Tall ones? AAA-rated and quantum-secure? Like, corporate towers?"
Ellie froze in surprise.
"Ah... no one here told me you were looking for this type of building. This wing's priority is for medium-risk investors."
Luna raised an eyebrow ever so slowly. "Are you telling me that the most expensive real estate agency in the imperial capital... put me in the 'low budget' section?"
LEO made to intervene, but Luna held up a firm hand.
She took a deep breath, then smiled.
A calm smile. Cold.
The kind of smile that precedes the fall of empires.
"Very well, Ellie. Now let's play seriously."
She stood slowly and pulled out her phone, unlocking her Tycoon ID, the silver symbol spinning brightly. The room froze. The lights changed color. The internal systems emitted an alert tone.
And then she completed it.
"I want modern buildings. A green energy system. A helipad. An auditorium with a capacity of 1,000. And a view of the imperial palace."
He paused, then threw in his last card, his eyes flashing. "And tell your superiors that I just bought 51% of the shares in this real estate company. It's mine now. Let's see if anyone decides to show up."
"What the hell is going on here?" The voice came from a man dressed in an ill-fitting petrol blue suit, with a gold pin on his lapel trying to look more expensive than he was. His name shone on his badge like a joke:
"Carlos A. Vernet – Elite Regional Manager".
He looked at Ellie with disdain, then at Luna's robot with a raised eyebrow, and finally his eyes landed on Luna.
They stayed there.
Too much time.
With wrong intensity.
"You... want to buy a high-rise building downtown?" he laughed with that kind of nasal laugh that instantly irritates. "And on top of that, real estate stock? Hah! My dear, you know what that means, right?"
Luna didn't answer.
He just calmly gritted his teeth and pushed back the golden lock that had fallen in front of his face, as if that gesture was a sign that the world still had a few seconds before it burned.
Carlos leaned closer. The look that had once been pure arrogance now descended dangerously into blatant lust, as if she were part of a luxury catalog on display. "You know... at your age, I think you should learn that certain words have consequences. Young people like you need to understand the limits. It's easy to play the millionaire. But the market charges a high price for jokes."
Luna looked at him.
For the first time, she really looked at him.
As if he were considering whether he was worth the effort of a more sophisticated contempt.
"Your perfume is generic," she murmured dryly. "Just like your soul."
Carlos arched an eyebrow, confused, and was about to open his mouth to respond when something… changed in the air.
A distinct sound, the firm tread of high heels on marble floors, the subtle clink, and then, the voice. "...Is this the kind of service you offer now? I'm impressed... embarrassingly so."
Luna turned her face towards the sound.
And stopped.
A woman walked down the aisle with the natural ease of someone born in the spotlight. Tall as a movie star, her skin had the tan of someone who frequents yachts on private islands, her long hair a luxurious dark violet, gently wavy and tied in a half-bun with sapphire-studded clips. Her green eyes, lively and laughing, burned with controlled sarcasm.
The women's suit she was wearing was from a special collection, discreet only for those who didn't understand the value of a perfect cut in fabric conjured by arcane French weavers.
Luna's eyes widened in surprise. "Victoria...? What are you doing here?"
The other woman smiled. A sharp, savory smile like expensive wine.
Carlos turned white.
Literally.
"C-CEO Lancaster...?!"
The penny dropped.
And it fell like a piano on the roof.
The man swallowed hard, sweat forming on his forehead as he tried to pull off a smile that looked more like a nervous spasm.
"I… didn't know… you were…"
Victória stopped beside Luna, crossed her arms, and gave her a look that was pure diplomatic dynamite. "I didn't know my friend was here too, did you?"
She turned to Luna and smiled brightly:
"I received a movement alert on my asset list and thought, 'Only Luna would be so bold as to buy shares in a real estate company out of spite.' So I came to see the chaos live."
Luna didn't answer. She just raised an eyebrow and looked at Carlos with lazy amusement, like someone watching a bug trying to escape a honey trap.
"He was... teaching me about consequences," Luna said, her voice sweet as poison disguised as perfume.
Carlos was trying to make excuses when Victoria turned to him.
"Carlos, don't worry. I'll explain the consequences myself. Do you know what happens when you disrespect someone like Luna Malroth... in front of the market?"
She stepped closer, her heels clicking like a sentence. "...You lose. Everything."
Carlos broke out in a cold sweat, trying to regain control of his dignity. Victoria's presence had already dismantled his arrogance like a house of cards before a hurricane.
But Luna's silence… that was more unbearable.
Luna remained standing, one hand resting on her hip, while with the other... discreetly unlocking her iPhone with a subtle gesture. She quickly dialed the direct security channel with Ivy.
[Luna]: "Carlos A. Vernet. Manager here. You can pull the employment contract and arrange immediate dismissal. Reason: inappropriate conduct + underestimating a Malroth. No room for appeal."
[Ivy]: "Executing. Warning: the recording is backed up in case you need to sue the idiot."
Luna gave a dry smile.
He looked up at Carlos, who now looked paler than an abandoned piece of paper.
"You're fired," Luna said in a tone that was almost indifferent, as if she was warning him that the coffee had gone cold.
Carlos stood still. He blinked several times.
"I-I… what…?"
"You're fired," she repeated, wiping a blond strand from her forehead. "And before you ask: it's already registered in the system, sent to central HR, and the notice and termination will be sent to your home."
"F-for God's sake, miss, it was a mistake…! I didn't know th-that—"
"You didn't need to know," she said, looking him straight in the eye. "You just had to treat me with respect."
Carlos tried to take another step, but Victória let out a sharp "cough" and subtly pointed to the door.
And then Luna turned to Ellie.
The young intern seemed to have watched the whole thing in a polite trance, as if trying to figure out whether it was real or a high-end holographic drama.
"Congratulations, Ellie," Luna said, her tone warm and yet still tingling. "You were the only one who acted with respect and initiative. From now on, you're the regional manager."
Ellie froze. Literally.
Mouth half open, eyes wide.
"I... seriously? Like... really seriously?!"
"Like totally," Luna replied, smirking. "Now, if you can, show me the most expensive properties this real estate agent hid from me."
Victoria crossed her arms and made a "that's my girl" sign with a smile of mocking pride.
Ellie, finally regaining her composure, bowed slightly. "Y-yes, Lady Malroth! It's an honor! Let's go to the red room; the elite properties are reserved with Imperial protocol encryption."
The doors opened and, guided by Ellie, Luna and Victória entered a private room with dark glass, where holographic panels began to reveal true urban treasures: state-of-the-art skyscrapers, buildings with their own power, security, VIP spaces for diplomats, and helipads.
"This is the most expensive in the portfolio," Ellie said, pointing to a 98-story tower. "It's just been completed and hasn't been officially listed yet. Estimated value: $3.2 billion."
Luna didn't even blink. "I want this as the foundation's headquarters."
Ellie swallowed. "Anything else…?"
Luna turned her gaze to the luxury residential buildings next door. "And those three condos... too. My employees need to live nearby."
Victoria arched an eyebrow with a smile. "Generous. And very practical."
Ellie, still processing everything, murmured.
"O-okay... just a second... adding the three high-end residential buildings to the main building... the total is..."
She typed nervously.
"US$6.8 billion."
Luna just held out her hand.
"Pass the reader."
Ellie approached the terminal, and Luna pulled the Ultimate Tycoon Card™ from her purse.
— Transaction: APPROVED.
— Value: US$ 6,800,000,000.00
Suddenly, the Tycoon system vibrated on Luna's phone with a new notification.
[Tycoon System — Reward Activated!]
Reason: Construction of headquarters + support housing for UGPs
Category: Structured Philanthropy
Reward: 100x Cashback successfully applied
+ US$680,000,000,000.00 (Six hundred and eighty billion dollars) added to the Philanthropic Gold account
Adjusted Annual Maintenance: 1% of revenues already automatically allocated to UGP parts and upgrades
Command Update: New UGPs Enabled Globally
---
Ellie's eyes widened so much that she almost lost her balance.
Luna simply locked her phone, calmly put away her card, and muttered, "I earn more when I spend wisely."
Victoria laughed. "That should be your campaign slogan."