"I've never heard of having to pay to go to work." Franz complained bitterly. "Cousin Elf, for the sake of family, I'll personally fund a fleet for you. Just don't talk nonsense in the future. It could easily cause misunderstandings."
He had traveled all this way to work for her, only to have to pay out of his own pocket. Franz's resentment was practically taking physical form.
Elf, who had only said it casually, suddenly rolled over and sat up, staring suspiciously at Franz with both eyes. "Eldest Cousin... did you really embezzle Big Brother's money?"
Honestly, she had just been casually spreading rumors to scare Franz. Who would have thought he would give in so easily?
The only explanation was that her offhand remark had hit the mark.
Franz's face darkened. "Don't spread rumors. Don't spread rumors. If you keep talking nonsense, I won't pay a single coin."
Elf shut up. She felt that Big Brother probably would not be fooled; Franz did not have that kind of ability.
Still, extorting a sum from Franz made her very happy.
Look, she had left home empty-handed. A little sponsorship here, a little donation there—wouldn't she be getting started in no time?
"No, I need to write to my younger brother." Elf suddenly discovered a way to make money. "I'll have him get me more manpower."
Compared to all those startup stories she had studied before, she could take a shortcut.
After returning to their residence, Elf told Eunice about her new gains, practically glowing with excitement. "Sister, you can't go wrong following me. Look, it's only been a few days, and I already have everything."
Just two days ago, she had been crying about being poor.
Now she had money, people, equipment, and a letter of authorization—everything.
When Franz produced