VS Vulture Fund ROUND2
Chapter 57
"Please have some bubu-zuke*."
[T/N - bubu-zake is Kyoto's signature snack]
"Oh, how delightful. I absolutely love bubu-zuke."
Angela's fluent Japanese greeting made me realize that sarcasm wouldn't work here. That's the thing about foreigners.
Ignoring my reaction, Angela got straight to the point.
"Moonlight Fund. You are its real owner, aren't you? Little Majesty."
It felt like being accused of a crime, but those vulture funds have vast resources and immense connections. I never thought it would stay hidden, but this was the first time someone confronted me so directly.
"If an elementary school student told you she managed a fund with assets worth hundreds of billions of yen, most people wouldn't believe her, right?"
"Communication doesn't lie. Most major investment decisions of Moonlight Fund are made at the Keika-in Bank headquarters, and the volume of communication between that headquarters and this mansion has only increased with time. Therefore, it's clear who the owner would be."
The U.S. has a communication interception system called Echelon. Its details are shrouded in secrecy, but knowing about it translates to a threat: "Your bidding plan for the Keika-in Bank's auction is an open book."
"In that case, why don't you present another business card? You have one, don't you? The one with the eagle emblem?"
If she's hinting at Echelon, she should have one. Angela, smiling confidently because I revealed myself first, handed over another card as I suggested.
"Information Analyst at the U.S. Embassy in Japan. It's tough, isn't it? The CIA spying on the economy of an allied country."
"Even after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, this industry is not lax enough to let its guard down, Your Majesty."
In other words, I've been under CIA surveillance since my parents' Eastern Bloc espionage. In the original story, I was ruined as the villainess, but living in this world makes it clear. Many mines are buried behind Keika-in Runa, and this is the biggest one.
Thinking about it, my original role might have been an Eastern Bloc spy trying to take over Teia Motors using the protagonist.
Next to approach me would be Russia or Communist China, like Angela now.
"Let's get back to the topic. You want to say, 'Withdraw from the Keika-in Bank auction,' right?"
"I'm glad you understand quickly."
The anticipated winning bid for Keika-in Bank is around 800 billion yen and could even reach a trillion. The stakes are so high that only a few players are in the game. The U.S. probably aims to leverage the acquisition of Keika-in Bank to penetrate Japan's conglomerate-dominated economy.
"Even if I withdraw, there's no benefit for me."
"That's right. Withdrawing brings no benefit. However, winning will draw our attention, a significant disadvantage."
I could only smile wryly at Angela, who said this cheerfully. What else could this be but a threat?
"That's not how you speak to a member of an allied nation's elite, is it?"
"I apologize. Money truly reigns upon all."
Her role was to start with a threat, then win through concessions from there.
"This project involves massive amounts of money. If I withdraw, does that mean you can prepare that money?"
"Of course. We have several plans, but that's confidential."
Moonlight Fund is based in the U.S., and its core assets are U.S. high-tech stocks, which need to be used as collateral for borrowing funds. However, for the Keika-in Bank auction, borrowing from Keika-in Bank using Moonlight Fund's assets as collateral wasn't possible due to the need for neutrality.
Therefore, a syndicate loan* centered on Imperial Iwasaki Bank was arranged for the massive funding, thanks to the Ministry of Finance's leading the donation system. Meanwhile, vulture funds source such funds from the market. Some domestic banks might have defected, tempted by the profits from Keika-in Bank's dismantling.
[T/N - Syndicate loans are large loans provided by a group of lenders, usually banks or financial institutions, rather than a single lender. This approach spreads the risk among multiple parties and is typically used for large-scale financing needs, such as major acquisitions, infrastructure projects, or corporate expansions. Each lender in the syndicate contributes a portion of the total loan amount and shares in the interest payments and repayment obligations.]
Keika-in Bank has Keika-in Securities, one of the four major domestic securities companies currently, in its group. To stay ahead in the financial deregulation called the financial Big Bang, every major domestic bank is aiming for Keika-in Bank.
"I understand. I don't want to attract scary people either. Just let the important people know that I'm willing to consider it. Since it seems you're leaving, let me see you off."
"Thank you. Goodbye."
After Angela, who hadn't touched the cold bubu-zuke on the table, was out of sight, I laughed.
"But do you guys even have the capacity to participate in the auction?"
The auction was scheduled for September 20.
My prediction was correct. Amid the global economic turmoil caused by the Russian financial crisis, Moonlight Fund was the only one to show up at the Ministry of Finance for the auction. Meanwhile, the U.S. was busy bailing out major hedge funds.
┳━━━━━━━━━━┳
Authors Note
┻━━━━━━━━━━┻
【Bubu-zuke】
A type of rice dish. In Kyoto, it is said that offering this means "please leave soon." Whether true or not, it has become so famous that it's sometimes used this way.
【Financial Big Bang】
A term for the financial system reforms carried out from 1996 to 2001, including the deregulation of financial holding companies, participation in securities and insurance businesses, and changes from full deposit protection to fixed deposit protection.
【Imperial Iwasaki Bank】
A bank that merged in 1996. The main bank of the former Keika-in conglomerate, including Keika-in Pharmaceuticals.
【Major Hedge Fund Bailout 】
The U.S. took administrative measures similar to Japan's Ministry of Finance, which drew heavy criticism from other countries. This didn't deter the players involved, who later triggered the Lehman crisis.
┳━━━━━━━━━━━┳
Translator Note
┻━━━━━━━━━━━┻
I am traveling a bit so no Computer, and had to translate it in phone (that was a torture) , that's why only 1 chapter, I am sorry for that, last week too I missed about 2 chapters and now 1 more ,
Aside from that next update will be at 6 Aug , due to my semester Exams.
So because I missed few days of double chapter and 1 week of expect some mass releases back to back when I will come back.
And now for this chapters this potentially end of the volume 1 of light Novel. So if you read this much congratulations you have completed Volume 1.
So here my request of you liked this series and can afford please consider buying this book light Novel version (licenced in english by seven Seas) to show original author support, currently it's 4 volumes available in english and total 5 in Japanese.
Again please consider buying them because it's pretty niche so it can get axed if not properly supported... Here some links check out of you can ..
[Amazon ]
[Seven Seas ]
[Bookwalker ]
For Amazon If you want to buy paperback version (Ebook Pricing not much different), please check out your own regional Amazon app(they have different pricing for different countries) , like in I bought the 1st LN under 7$ paperback version, and my friend bought it for >20$ and we live in neighbouring countries.