Became the Villainess’s Guardian

The massive machinery creaked as the pulse of industry began to beat.
The generators roared powerfully, and the mages screamed as they tended the fires below.

Although the world was filled with all sorts of absurdities and darkness, it appeared lively on the surface.
Investors willingly offered their money, and Martop steadily introduced new products to the world, recording unprecedented profits.

Everyone praised the prosperity of Londinium and the Kingdom of Glasgow.
Everyone sang of a hopeful tomorrow and endless growth.

As if the celebration would never end.

Some might call me a reverse Buffett at my age, but that doesn’t mean I mindlessly shower my hard-earned money on any random flyer, treating it like gold and jade.

To be a little more honest now, I’m not oblivious to the appeal of money either.

I work hard at Martop out of greed as well.
If I could survive on the future knowledge cheat, I wouldn’t have dashed in like a headless chicken, willing to slit my wrists for success.

The reason humanity must not perish is similar.
There has to be somewhere to spend money, right? In a post-apocalyptic world using bottlecaps as currency, banknotes would be mere kindling.

One might ask why I engage in philanthropy, and well… there’s a psychological resistance line, so to speak.

If someone applauds beside me as I say, ‘Inhaling soot from the chimney 365 days a year will likely cause cancer and respiratory diseases at an abnormally early age, but it has nothing to do with the chimney,’ it feels like my sense of self and humanity is being steadily chipped away.
I might not have expressed it properly, but the spiciness of modern times always exceeds imagination.

Anyway, putting that aside.
The reason I’m turning money into toilet paper is that I’m investing in and supporting the military industry.

“At last, the age of peace has arrived. Under the torch of reason and rationality, humanity has finally grasped a better future!”

“Why fall into the abyss of war when the path of prosperity lies ahead? Unless humans are ruled by instinct rather than reason, a second great war cannot occur.”

“Therefore, the military industry is finished. Anyone with a brain beyond mere decoration would arrive at such a conclusion.”

Half a century after the cataclysmic war between humanity and the demonic tribes, anyone proclaiming the extermination of the demons was treated as a spy or delusional.

Of course, the cold Londinium man Edan, sensitive to trends, didn’t go around declaring the apocalypse was nigh. That would only lead to a street beating.

No one wanted the prefix ‘1st’ attached to the great war that racked up millions of kills.
And as the peace dragged on and became familiar, such tendencies only grew stronger, never weaker.

But in this world, only I knew that such optimism would become a poison. Perhaps.

“Edan.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Why don’t you stop developing weapons? It doesn’t seem very profitable.”

“No, Professor. There might be a use for them someday.”

“Are you planning a coup d’état or something…?”

It was a conviction I maintained while enduring even Professor Magni’s suspicious gaze.
I researched weapons, steered Freugne away from the dark queen’s path, and engaged in charitable works. If not me, who else would protect humanity?

However, I stopped conducting personal research after joining Martop, unlike my younger days.

Since Martop didn’t have a budget to assign me to such projects, it was better to let professionals handle it with funding rather than working alone at home while napping.
If it wasn’t an electric vehicle, I lacked the ability to offer advice on wires or metallurgy.

So for the future of humanity, and with the expectation of profiting from wartime demand, I willingly invested in the military industry.

And how many years had passed since then?
When I came to my senses, at some point I had transitioned from being a military industry devotee to a philanthropist providing life support to a dying industry.

“Our company… can no longer maintain normal operations.”

“But why, when there’s no particular crisis?”

“We’re not making money, money. Supplying the military is one thing, but we’re sorely lacking funds for development.”

“Aha.”

“Ah, but if a benevolent investor were to appear and sponsor us, there would be nothing we couldn’t do!”

“…Hold on, let me calculate our remaining funds and get back to you.”

I had a premonition that something was amiss around the -40% mark, but by then, I was halfway through the noose.

Of course, I could wipe my tears and walk away. With my current income from Martop and royalties, how much wealthier could I become?
But if even I was gone, it seemed like the kingdom’s military and weapons would not only fail to progress but actively regress.

“I’ll trust you one more time…?”

“Leave it to me.”

And at least I didn’t make a futile effort.
The quality of personal firearms improved, and after successfully securing military contracts, the stock price began to rebound.

In a way, it was only natural, since the information provided in games about the period before the war with the demonic tribes is limited.
I wish the game had at least included a list of companies about to go bankrupt instead of newspapers cursing Freugne, so I could have eaten that future too.

No, even if I had seen it, I probably would have skimmed over and forgotten the useless content.
One should not linger on the past.

However, I do harbor some regrets about my bank account.

“A military industry boom will come someday.”

“What if it doesn’t?”

“Hm?”

As I suppressed a twinge of anxiety and nibbled on the full breakfast Freugne had prepared, the one sitting across the table, silently listening to my words, asked.

“To be honest, I’m not sure how long the economy will remain good. I also have an uneasy premonition that something big will happen soon, probably within a year.”

“Then let’s do this. Handing over the economic reins entirely if you’re right is… a bit much. Instead, how about we go on an overseas trip together?”

“Eh, an overseas trip…?”

“You may have heard that the resort areas in the southern Belfast Republic are quite popular.”

“Together… overseas trip… overseas trip…”

Freugne kept muttering ‘overseas trip.’ Perhaps she was averse to venturing to an unfamiliar place?
No, considering she had readily agreed to attend public school after leaving East End, that wasn’t it.

“Why, does it not appeal to you?”

“…No, I don’t dislike it.”

I had intended to take her on a trip eventually, even without making such a promise.

So I continued speaking to Freugne, who nodded her head.

“Still, um, I think differently…”

“Well, no one knows the future, so I can’t readily agree either. That’s why this wager stands, right?”

“I…suppose so. Yes.”

Is this how the hero who saved the world but was forgotten by all felt? I may have rescued the kingdom’s military, but I gained nothing.
I don’t know if it’s a world where no one was harmed, but at least my bank account is bleeding profusely for now. If I had known, I would have held onto my Keres Martop shares.

However, at least for now, I can barely hang on.
Since I know I’ll win in the end, I don’t feel a shred of anxiety… or do I?!

[(Co)Tir Defense: -65%]

Unless panic suddenly appears like a ninja, and the parliament strangles the financial lifeline of the military, which can only be a consumer group by nature, to the brink of suffocation.
Unless the world tries to snipe me with pinpoint accuracy like that, making a mockery of me.

I’ll become wealthy, and in the process, protect humanity…!

To my conviction, Freugne added a small cheer of “Fighting!”

Freugne was not so callous as to turn a blind eye to the impending disaster she could see with her own eyes.
If she had seen a future where Edan, upon confirming a -99% loss, immediately proclaimed the apocalypse had begun by invoking the status window, not just her but anyone would have offered advice at the very least.

So until just then, she had intended to persuade him through sheer stubbornness.

“Then let’s do this. Handing over the economic reins entirely if you’re right is… a bit much. Instead, how about we go on an overseas trip together?”

“Eh, an overseas trip…”

After briefly considering the proposal, Freugne decided to remain silent.

Of course, at the point she decided to be an observer, she fully intended to take responsibility.
Wouldn’t it be enough to support Edan to that extent later on, if she supported him?

And as for hurting his feelings… she could comfort him by treating him to a meal or something.
As for his potential meltdown invoking the status window, all she could do was hope for natural healing.

Having reached this point in her thinking about Edan, Freugne slung her bag over her shoulder.

She had told her friends at the familiar public school to contact her later if they were interested in high-paying part-time jobs.
Some returned home to inherit family businesses, some entered high school like herself, and the rest were assigned simple tasks like delivering letters or messages.

In a world where even shoeshine jobs would soon become difficult, wasn’t job creation a part of charity too?

But it was a trifle compared to the impending storm.
Freugne took a deep breath, stepped through the open door, and bid farewell.

“I’ll be going.”

“Alright. Take care.”

It was a school she had already attended before. She thought high school wouldn’t be much different, either.
Moreover, this time she wouldn’t be alone.

“Oh, you arrived early.”

“I, I’m not sure if I should be in a place like this…”

“Of course. As Mr. Edan said, those who haven’t been given opportunities should receive them too.”

Gradually, the children Edan’s charitable foundation had recruited – or more precisely, the talented individuals Freugne herself had sought out – began attending school like her.