Military System : Alternate World

After finalizing his agreement with the Ministry of Food and Nutrition, Fret and his soldiers boarded the truck and returned to Kane's shop to purchase some basic necessities. They bought packed foods and meats to grill. After leaving Kane's shop, they visited various other stores, purchasing toothpaste, toothbrushes, various medicines, and some clothes in case their current attire was damaged.

Once their shopping spree was over, they returned to the forest, planning to start hunting at dawn and promptly deliver their catches to the office. Although their hunting could potentially decrease the forest's wildlife population, the revenue from selling the game would provide enough funds to start a business in the town. This initial plan involved using the proceeds from selling hunted animals, particularly wild boars, to establish a business. Once financially stable, Fret intended to expand his operations to the capital and other cities.

Fret's Military System offered numerous civilian technologies that he could produce and sell before focusing on military production. The more funds he accumulated, the better his production capabilities. Fret's current mindset was, "If I can't be the country leader, I can at least be the formidable arms dealer behind one." Throughout the day, Fret and his soldiers spread out across the forest, initiating a relentless hunt. Despite the seeming ruthlessness of their actions, Fret knew it was necessary for survival.

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When the sun began its descent, signaling the moon's rise, Fret and his soldiers had already hunted five wild boars, boosting his SP balance to 96. Despite setting multiple traps for rabbits and searching for wolves, they caught nothing else, but five wild boars were sufficient for the day. Fret ordered the bodies to be loaded onto the truck before heading to town. Due to the heavy cargo, only two soldiers accompanied him: one in the cargo bed and the other, William, in the passenger seat. Unbeknownst to Fret, William had become a favored member of his new team.

Upon arriving in town, many store owners tried to catch their attention, eager to attract these high-spending customers. While Fret and his soldiers paid little heed, John's attention was drawn to a particular building. It had a large sign reading "Nuna's Night" and several attractive women were playfully waving and glancing to entice passersby. Although Fret was not swayed by their allure, he acknowledged his own manly desires. However, he was not the type to be indiscriminate.

Seeing these women brought to mind the library clerk he had met earlier. Fret wasn't opposed to relationships, but the idea of intimacy made him uneasy. His past, marked by the traumatic loss of his family in a devastating house fire, left him wary of getting close to others. With a shake of his head to clear these thoughts, he refocused on the road, determined not to let his distractions cause any accidents.

The first stop for the group was, unsurprisingly, the office where they had previously sold the bodies. This time, the office staff were shocked to see Fret bringing in five wild boars. Although surprised, they were still very excited and quickly helped him unload the truck before neatly arranging the wild boars in a fridge they had. Though primitive, it was sufficient to keep the meat from decomposing. As per their previous agreement, they bought all five boars at the impressive price of CR2,500, boosting Fret's funds even further. After deducting their previous spending, his total balance had risen to CR5,000.

After receiving the payment and shaking hands with the person in charge, confirming Fret's earlier assumptions, they went to Kane's shop. Although they didn't need to buy anything, Fret still wanted to understand exactly what he could purchase with the CR5,000 he had. Their arrival didn't cause as much of a stir as it did in the morning. Kane and his family greeted them warmly and invited them to eat together. The wild boar Fret had given Kane in the morning was enough to feed them for a few days. Fret, who had never tasted wild boar in his previous life, was initially hesitant to eat it but didn't want to show disrespect to their hospitality, so he dug in. The moment he took his first bite, his eyes widened in surprise at the rich flavor of the meat. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted, and he immediately regretted not trying it sooner. "I can understand why the upper echelon prefers wild boar meat," Fret thought as he took bite after bite.

"Kane, I want to ask you something," Fret said after they finished their feast and were digesting the food. "What can I buy with CR5,000?" Fret asked, not waiting for a response. Kane, who was sipping water with a satisfied smile from the meal, suddenly paused and looked at Fret. "Don't tell me you sold those at an outrageous price?" Kane asked with a serious expression. As an honest and righteous man, he couldn't stand the thought of someone being cunning in business. His first assumption was that Fret had sold the meat at a very high price, essentially stealing people's money.

"That hurts. Do you see me as someone without a heart?" Fret replied, feigning a pained expression. "I sold each boar at the price of 500, the wolf was sold for 1,500, and the rabbits for 5 CR each," Fret added. Kane, taken aback, spoke again. "You brought three wild boars, gave me one, and left with two to sell. Even adding the others, it doesn't come close to the amount you have."

"You're right because I hunted five more and sold them too," Fret replied without missing a beat, watching Kane's reaction closely. "You can't! What will you do if the forest's population becomes disturbed by your actions?" Kane said, slapping the table in concern. "Sigh, it's dangerous to be this righteous," Fret thought to himself but didn't say aloud, fearing Kane might become more agitated.

"I know what you mean, and I understand your concern. I don't want to keep hunting every day either, but I needed quick money, and hunting is an easier way to make money than becoming a laborer," Fret explained, clearly stating his intentions. "That's why I asked you what I can do with this much money. If I can establish a business for myself here, it would be better than hunting animals." He added, waiting for Kane's response.

After pondering for a few minutes, Kane finally spoke. "You can open up a factory focused on metalwork or a mine to extract various minerals. You could also open a few small stores in town or nearby towns to maximize your profit, but I don't recommend that as it's highly competitive. There are only a few rich people focusing on mining, so you should consider that," Kane said, nodding occasionally as if affirming his own words.

"How about cameras?" Fret asked, glancing at his system shop, which offered various technologies. Although it was risky to introduce such high-quality and easy-to-use cameras worldwide, he needed to produce something that would generate substantial income. "What are you going to do with cameras? Not many people go to studios to get photographed. There were multiple studios here, but they eventually went bankrupt because people wouldn't go there," Kane replied, waving his hand dismissively.

"I mean, if you could have your own camera to take your children's photos wherever you go, wouldn't that be really great?" Fret suggested, hinting at a new idea. Kane looked puzzled, clearly unable to picture himself carrying such a large camera everywhere. "Why would I even bother carrying such a big camera?" Kane replied, confused about where Fret was heading with the conversation.

"Imagine if you had a camera the size of this," Fret said, using his hands to illustrate a more manageable size of a 1940s camera. "You could capture their photos anywhere, and each picture would preserve a precious moment in time." He mimed taking a photo, making a flash sound with his mouth to emphasize the point.

Kane's expression shifted as he began to grasp the idea. "Well, that would indeed be great. Capturing precious moments would be wonderful." He acknowledged, realizing the potential of a portable camera. Despite the intriguing concept, Kane wasn't sure about the feasibility of producing such a device. His expertise lay in the military, not engineering.

"By the way, if I wanted to buy a workshop here, how much would it cost?" Fret asked, steering the conversation back to his plan. "There's one for sale on the far east of town, near the forest. I've heard it's priced at 1,500 CR. The owner is a respected figure in the town, though I'm not sure about the workshop's condition," Kane responded.

"Can you accompany me there to speak with the owner?" Fret asked, eager to take the next step. He was ready to tackle the challenges of production and material acquisition, knowing he could always hunt and sell animals to fund his ventures.

Kane hesitated briefly, grumbling to himself. 'This guy... always dragging me into his plans,' he thought before agreeing. Despite wanting to spend time with his family, he had started to see Fret as a friend. Pleased by Kane's agreement, they quickly descended the stairs and headed to the truck. This time, Kane took the passenger seat while William, now relegated to the cargo bed, exchanged meaningful glances with John.

As they drove, Fret initiated a new topic. "Is there someone you could recommend for managing my business?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the road. "You'll find many capable managers, but I suggest Alise. She works as a clerk at the library. If you can convince her—though it seems like a tall order—she'd be an excellent choice," Kane replied, gazing out the window.

"Alise..." Fret's mind replayed her image at Kane's mention. He admired her but feared getting too close. "I'm not sure she'd be the perfect fit," he said.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Kane retorted, defensive. "She graduated from the Royal Academy in the capital and even received an invitation from the king to serve under him. There won't be anyone more qualified." Kane continued, praising Alise's achievements. "Despite the king's invitation, she chose to stay here to inherit the position of head librarian. The current head, who raised her as his own daughter, is a revered scholar who never married but adopted her from an orphanage. She's deeply grateful to him and returned despite his initial reluctance."

Kane's admiration for Alise was evident, and Fret couldn't help but reconsider her potential as a business manager.

"You said it would be hard to convince her. Is that because of the head librarian position?" Fret asked, already making plans to persuade her to manage his business. "Yeah, she won't take another job, no matter how high the salary or how much better the conditions are," Kane replied, still gazing out the window.

'So, to get her on board, I first need to convince the head librarian to change her mind,' Fret thought, mapping out a strategy he believed could succeed.