All hesitation vanished.
Two new keywords had just been added.
Reckless heir. And trap.
It was fresh, unlike anything before.
There was no reason to hesitate now.
“I’m in.”
To make this operation a success, we needed a reckless heir from a chaebol family, and Gonzalez was by far the most suitable candidate for the role.
And just as I’d hoped, he accepted my proposal without hesitation the mont he heard it.
“Let’s do it.”
However.
There were two hurdles that had to be cleared before confirming his participation.
The first was “negotiating the terms.”
“If there’s anything you’d like in return, please let know. I’m referring to the reward you’ll receive once the mission is complete.”
“Oh, that’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
Gonzalez waved his hand, as if to say he had no interest in compensation.
An attitude of willingly stepping up even without any reward.
But to , that ca off as a red flag.
‘He’s going to be hard to control.’
This type of person tends to be more enthusiastic than anyone at the start, but the mont they lose interest, they drop out without a second thought.
But what I needed was soone who would follow my plan through to the end, regardless of their own will.
In other words, soone I could completely control.
Therefore, if I was going to use Gonzalez, I also needed a way to control him…
‘Not going to be easy.’
There are only two ways to control a person: use their weakness, or satisfy their desires.
Just like I offered Pierce the whip of short selling, and Patricia the carrot of the Delphi priestess.
However, Gonzalez didn’t show any obvious weaknesses.
In that case, I’d have no choice but to go after his desires…
From what I’d observed, he only had one: ‘fun.’
The problem was that this desire was incredibly fickle.
It wasn’t like a desire for money or fa that had objective criteria.
This “fun” would be defined entirely by his own subjective standards.
‘Could he be similar to Rachel?’
Rachel’s core desire is “goodness.”
The nature of the desire was different, but in terms of how difficult they were to control, Gonzalez was just as hard to handle as Rachel.
In that case, there was only one approach.
Find a carrot that he would find attractive, and make that his objective.
“It doesn’t sit right with to use soone without offering anything in return. Please, just na sothing.”
“I really don’t need anything…”
“If there’s truly nothing you want, I’ll take that as a refusal to participate.”
That was genuine.
If he was soone I couldn’t control, it was better to look for an alternative.
Then—
Gonzalez’s expression suddenly stiffened.
It looked similar to when I’d first called him in and told him he was “fired”…
‘Could this be his weakness? Being denied fun?’
All of Gonzalez’s current interest was probably focused on .
That’s likely why he accepted this offer so readily.
In that case, could threatening to exclude him from this be a form of leverage?
While I was thinking that, Gonzalez seed to have made up his mind and opened his mouth.
“Don’t need a roommate, do you?”
“No, I don’t.”
The idea of soone stepping into my private space was unthinkable.
Just letting Gerard stay over for a few days had flipped my stomach, and I had to live on antacids for a while.
“If that’s all you want, let’s call this off.”
“Then allow to revise my request.”
Gonzalez clicked his tongue with disappointnt, then after a mont’s thought, proposed sothing new.
“Then, is it possible for to beco a trader?”
“A trader?”
“Yes, an execution trader.”
Gonzalez’s current title was analyst.
And generally speaking, it was extrely rare for an analyst to transition into a trader.
The skillsets required were completely different.
Analysts relied on analysis and insight, while traders lived on experience and instinct.
So typically, one had to start with a small amount of capital and gradually build up their experience and sense…
With no prior experience in the field, Gonzalez becoming a trader was essentially impossible.
However.
‘This might not be a bad idea.’
Because it was sothing impossible elsewhere, this request had value as a carrot.
I was just about to nod when—
Gonzalez wasn’t finished.
“I’d like to be Sean’s designated execution trader.”
“That’s not happening.”
My response ca without a mont of hesitation.
“Execution traders are practically my right-hand. I can’t entrust that role to soone lacking experience.”
“Then keep your right-hand. I’ll settle for being the left.”
In other words, he was suggesting that soone else handle the actual operations.
The mont I heard that, I understood what he was after.
What he really wanted wasn’t the career of a trader, but the information that ca to the execution trader.
No doubt, the “fun” he hoped to get from that.
‘Hmm.’
Honestly, there was no real downside for .
All I had to do was avoid giving him any critical assignnts.
And—though this was a separate matter—
Gonzalez might unexpectedly have so talent for being a trader.
The most important trait for a trader is emotional stability.
The ability to remain calm and make rational decisions even after suffering massive financial losses.
In that sense, Gonzalez’s bold personality might actually be a strength.
In conclusion, there was no harm in agreeing.
“Phew… fine. But only if the operation succeeds. It’s a reward based on the result, not your willingness to cooperate.”
I emphasized that it would only be granted if we succeeded, and then glanced at the piece of art on my wrist.
It was already 7 o’clock.
The sky outside had grown dusky.
Ti to move on to the second phase.
I stood from my seat.
“Let’s continue this outside.”
#
The second thing I had to do before bringing Gonzalez into the operation was an audition.
“The most important thing in this mission is playing the fool. I’d like to see it firsthand.”
The fool was the core of this plan.
Even a small inconsistency could be a problem, so it was best to test it in advance.
“Evaluating his acting skills is essential.”
A bitter lesson I’d learned after witnessing the disastrous performances of Gerard and Raymond.
What had seed simple to had turned out to be incredibly difficult for them.
I suspected Gonzalez would be no different.
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had lived his life without ever needing to read the room—could he really act?
‘The role suits him perfectly, but…’
He did have a habit of bribing people with money, which showed he might have so talent.
And his identity really was that of a chaebol heir.
However—
He seed to lack the arrogance that a true fool would naturally have.
When I pointed this out, Gonzalez simply shrugged and responded nonchalantly, as if he’d heard sothing ridiculous.
“Can’t I just do it like Sean? Doesn’t seem that hard.”
I couldn’t help but frown.
“I’ve never acted like a fool.”
“You? Hmm… Well, anyway, it’s a useful reference. No need to worry.”
Sothing about Gonzalez’s relaxed attitude rubbed the wrong way.
Maybe it was the lack of desperation.
In situations like this, there was one thod that worked best.
Introduce a rival.
I muttered casually.
“Hmm, maybe it would’ve been better to go with Gerard.”
When choosing a rival, it’s most effective to pick soone concrete and real.
In that regard, Gerard was perfect.
Gonzalez had t him before—when Rachel invited him over to her estate.
Then—
“Gerard? The Marquis’s son? He doesn’t really suit the fool role, does he?”
The mont he said it offhandedly, Gonzalez’s reaction beca noticeably intense.
His face suddenly stiffened, and his tone carried a hint of aggression.
“That’s why I assigned it to you. But it seed like you weren’t that into it, so I just thought I’d let you know you didn’t have to push yourself.”
Gonzalez stayed silent for a while.
However, the look in his eyes had changed.
‘Looks like the bait’s starting to work?’
All I ant to do was let him know I had other options...
But his face showed an oddly intense awareness of Gerard.
Still, I decided to leave it be.
‘A little seriousness never hurts.’
In the anti, we arrived at our destination.
The audition would take place at a bar on Wall Street.
It was ti to see Gonzalez’s fool act in action.
“Let’s begin.”
At my words, Gonzalez moved without hesitation.
He walked straight up to the bartender and asked coldly,
“Are you the owner here?”
“No.”
“Call the owner.”
The bartender looked a bit flustered at the tone—spoken as if it were a natural right—but eventually bowed his head and brought the owner out.
When the owner appeared, Gonzalez nonchalantly tossed out a question, as if he were talking about the weather.
“What’s your daily revenue?”
“Excuse ?”
The owner was baffled by the odd question, but Gonzalez didn’t stop.
“Whatever it is, I’ll pay double. Clear everyone out.”
He pulled out a checkbook and wrote out $100,000 without hesitation.
However—
“I’m afraid I can’t accept this.”
The owner declined.
‘Probably doesn’t trust it.’
Even if he took the check now, there was a risk it’d bounce due to insufficient funds when brought to the bank.
Sensing this, Gonzalez smiled and said,
“Well, cash is probably better for sothing like this.”
He made a call, and less than fifteen minutes later, two n in black suits appeared, each holding a briefcase.
Inside were stacks of cash, neatly packed.
“How about now?”
As the owner stared at the money in shock, Gonzalez turned to and asked.
But I replied flatly,
“It’s cliché.”
Just being honest.
I’d expected sothing a bit more creative from Gonzalez, so I was a little disappointed.
More importantly—
“This isn’t a fool. It’s more of a nouveau riche.”
It was far from the kind of character I was looking for.
I was about to explain what kind of role I actually needed—
“So, you think soone else would be better?”
Gonzalez asked.
With a strangely sharp look in his eyes, I answered calmly.
“Hard to say. But this definitely isn’t the performance of a fool. You even said you were trying to imitate , but this doesn’t resemble my style at all.”
For a mont, Gonzalez was speechless.
His gaze softened, and eventually, he nodded and muttered,
“You’re right. Sean’s thod…”
As he mumbled, he suddenly pulled a coin from his pocket, as if making a decision.
He approached the still-hesitant owner and spoke.
“Want to make a bet?”
“A bet…?”
“If it lands heads, I rent the place for $100,000. If it’s tails, I pay you double your daily revenue.”
I was dumbfounded.
‘Does he think I’m a gambler or sothing?’
But apparently, that was how Gonzalez viewed .
Without even waiting for the owner’s reply, he flicked the coin into the air.
Clink!
The coin rolled across the counter and dropped to the floor.
The owner leaned over to check where it landed.
“Well? Heads or tails?”
“It’s… heads.”
He hesitated before answering, but it was clearly a lie.
Bars like this rarely bring in more than $30,000 in daily revenue.
$100,000 was more than double that.
Of course he chose the better offer.
But it didn’t matter what the owner picked.
Gonzalez’s goal had been to rent the place out from the start.
Whether it landed heads or tails, the outco was already decided.
“I’m sorry, but the bar will now be closed for a private event…”
Eventually, the owner went around asking the patrons to leave, which naturally led to so complaints.
“What the hell? I just placed my order!”
“You could’ve told us earlier!”
Grumbling filled the bar, and Gonzalez leaned on his chin, muttering.
“This still feels like sothing’s missing…”
A serious expression.
Even without my saying anything, he didn’t look satisfied with the result.
After a brief mont of thought, he suddenly stood up as if he’d had a revelation, looked around, and shouted loudly.
“Starting now, the first 30 people to leave this bar get $1,000 each! First co, first served!”
The mont he finished, the n in black suits pulled out fresh bundles of cash from new briefcases.
For a second, people froze in confusion.
Then Gonzalez gave a nod to one of the n in suits and said,
“Well? That guy by the door is the first one out.”
He pointed to the entrance.
There stood a man halfway out the door, watching the scene with cautious eyes.
One of the suited n walked over and handed him a wad of bills, and Gonzalez quietly said,
“One.”
That single word changed the mood.
Two more people rushed toward the exit.
Gonzalez nodded again, and more bundles of bills were handed over.
“Two, three.”
“…!”
At that point, the atmosphere shifted completely.
Gonzalez had limited it to just thirty people.
You had to be quick to get the money.
What followed was chaos.
People scrambled to gather their belongings, shoving each other as they rushed toward the exit.
It was practically a stampede.
Honestly, I was a little worried about safety.
“Damn.”
“Too late…”
Once all thirty had exited, disappointed sighs echoed around.
But by then, everyone was already at the door with their things packed.
It would’ve been awkward to go back to their seats, so they simply shook their heads and left.
Before long, only we remained inside the bar.
“How was that?”
Gonzalez asked proudly.
“Sean’s signature move is stirring up the crowd until everyone loses their minds and jumps in.”
He was missing the point.
What I wanted was a chaebol brat—not soone mimicking .
Still, there was no need to point that out.
‘It worked, after all.’
Oddly enough, when Gonzalez tried to act like , he ca closer to the fool I was looking for.
‘And his acting’s not bad either.’
The expressions, tone, and gestures Gonzalez had shown here and there—
All of them had solid potential.
More importantly, I now had a way to instill so desperation in him, so training shouldn’t be difficult.
“Well?”
“Very good. Let’s begin formal training starting tomorrow.”
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