After learning the details of the commission from President Roland, Noah boarded a train again, rushing nonstop to the city where the Black Bird Conglomerate headquarters was located.
He spent the entire day on the train.
Leaving the platform, Noah, carrying a suitcase, looked at the sparsely populated streets in the twilight, then picked an old man out for a stroll to ask for directions to Black Bird.
"Young man, what bird are you talking about?"
The old man on the street was clearly hard of hearing, so Noah could only repeat himself.
"Sir, it's Black Bird."
"Oh, a yellow bird, how did you know I keep one at home?"
Watching the old man incessantly introduce his beloved bird, Noah found it awkward to interrupt or leave, so he helplessly listened to him boast for five minutes.
"Sir, I'm not asking about your pet bird. I'm asking about the Black Bird Conglomerate, that very powerful conglomerate."
"Oh, I understand."
The old man nodded, then paused. "What did you say black what?"
Noah's mouth twitched. "Black Bird."
"Oh, a yellow bird, how did you know..."
"Stop, stop!"
Noah forcefully interrupted the old man, clenching his hand into a fist and threateningly saying, "Sir, have you ever seen a fist the size of a sandbag? If not, I'll treat you to one."
Noah was the one asking the old man for directions, so by all accounts, he shouldn't have resorted to threats, but the old man kept deliberately changing the subject.
Seeing he couldn't be fooled, the old man glanced at Noah's heavy suitcase and sighed.
"Young man, are you going to invest in Black Bird?"
"Listen to an old man's advice—the investment world is very deep, you can't handle it."
"Be careful, or your bones will be chewed up and swallowed."
Noah wasn't a fool. He understood the hidden meaning in the old man's words. Although ostensibly advising him, it sounded like he was sarcastically implying that Black Bird was ruthless.
It seemed that in Rubinas, the city where Black Bird's headquarters was located, the conglomerate's reputation was not good and it was not well-regarded by the locals.
"Don't worry, sir, I have excellent judgment."
"Even a big conglomerate like Heartfilia is investing in Black Bird, so if I follow suit, I'll definitely get a piece of the pie."
After getting directions from the old man, Noah thanked him and left.
Looking at the young man's confident back, the old man recalled how, when Black Bird first arrived, the citizens, swayed by the unscrupulous conglomerate, were also full of confidence, pooling money into Black Bird's grandiose "lobster farming" industry.
But in less than a year, the Black Bird Conglomerate suddenly announced that the lobsters had all run away due to ocean currents.
However, Rubinas was an inland city, nowhere near the sea, so where could lobsters run off to?
The citizens refused to accept this absurd explanation and filed complaints with the city hall, demanding Black Bird return their money.
But in the end, they received a notice that Black Bird was not required to compensate them, because in the original investment contract, there was a disclaimer, barely visible even with a magnifying glass: "In case of losses due to force majeure, the Black Bird Conglomerate shall not be held responsible."
The citizens' money was thus lost.
The old man shook his head. Good advice was hard to give, so he could only let the young man suffer the loss, as he'd already warned him.
Northern Suburbs of Rubinas
Black buildings encircled each other, guarding the central oval-shaped four-story building like stars around the moon. From a distance, it looked like an egg in a black bird's nest.
On the top floor of the oval building, in a luxurious office.
Joel, the director who ostensibly controlled the Black Bird Conglomerate, was now fawningly reporting to a white-robed man.
"Priest Kula, Heartfilia's assets are even more extensive than we imagined. Jude can still hold on for quite some time just by selling off real estate."
"But rest assured, it won't take more than two years. I will definitely swallow the entire Heartfilia Konzern."
Hearing that the goal could be achieved in two more years, Kula's cold expression softened slightly. After all, it was the Heartfilia Konzern, rich enough to rival a nation, and the Cult could afford to wait two years.
Pushing up his glasses, Kula praised Joel.
"Well done. Once this task is completed, I will submit a promotion report for you. Prepare to receive the blessing of Lord Zeref early."
Joel was overjoyed upon hearing this. That was the blessing of the founder of Black Magic, a blessing that would not only elevate him beyond the realm of ordinary humans but might even grant him power comparable to a Priest.
However, Kula remembered something and immediately suppressed his fantasies. "Priest Kula, someone has recently discovered our plan and requires the help of the Cult's power."
Although the Black Bird Conglomerate was a force of the Black Magic Cult, it was merely a tool for the Cult to earn funds, composed entirely of ordinary people, with no Mage stationed there.
Requiring the Cult's intervention meant Joel had encountered a difficult person he couldn't handle.
Kula frowned. He would never allow anyone to interfere with his plan. "Who is it? Is it a Mage?"
Joel quickly shook his head. Even he, an insider, was somewhat afraid when the Priest got angry. "No, no, no, just an ordinary person, but he has some status and is not afraid of our conglomerate's methods."
"You might even have heard his name: Roland, the president of the Commercial Guild Love & Lucky."
Priest Kula indeed knew Roland's name. When targeting Heartfilia, he'd already investigated the social connections of its helmsman, Jude.
The president of a well-known commercial guild, in situations where he committed no wrongdoing, could not be harmed by ordinary people's methods. No wonder Joel wanted to use the power of the Cult's Mages.
To prevent Roland from further hindering the plan to engulf Heartfilia, Kula decided to send his subordinates to eliminate Roland's family tomorrow.
Although Joel was pleased to hear Kula intended to kill Roland's entire family, he also felt a bit of fear. Those who could become Priests of the Black Magic Cult were indeed madmen who'd killed countless people and disregarded life.
Just then, there was a knock on the office door.
Joel was somewhat displeased, questioning his subordinate through the door. "How many times have I told you not to disturb me at this time?"
"S-sorry, Director Joel, but a young man came, saying he wants to invest in us." Frightened by Joel's angry voice, the subordinate's voice outside the door weakened a bit.
"Do you need to ask me about such a thing? How much money could he possibly have? Are you brainless?"
"He said he wants to invest ten million, and has brought two million as a deposit..."
Joel was choked. To be able to produce ten million in cash at once, he must be a rich young master with a substantial family fortune.
It wasn't the second generation's indulgence that was feared, but their entrepreneurship.
Such a young master, eager to prove himself, was simply a fat piece of meat delivered to Joel's doorstep.
Trap the young master, then drag his family behind him into the mess...
Before even meeting the person, Joel had already drafted his next plan.
"What are you standing around for? Quickly, invite him up!"