The funds needed for drug developnt are about 50 billion dollars. Of that, 45 billion dollars are expected to go to waste. It’s inevitable. I’m planning to conduct ten clinical trials to achieve just one success. What investor would tolerate this? That’s why I devised this inertia system. The strategy is to captivate investors with an 80% return and use the remaining 20% as a tax for developing the treatnt. In short, the 50 billion dollars is just a tax. What I actually need to make is 200 billion dollars. That’s roughly 258 trillion won.
At the ti of my death, Samsung Electronics' market capitalization was around 330 trillion won. In other words, I have to beco a walking conglorate. In just ten years. "Well, it’s not impossible." It’s possible if I have a large asset under managent. Starting with 100 million dollars to make 200 billion dollars is tough, but if I start with 10 billion, I only need to double it. Therefore, what I need is an asset under managent. And the fastest way to grow that asset is to leverage a big-na investor, soone like Warren Buffett.
If Buffett invests sowhere, wouldn't you, if you had extra funds, put so there as well? That’s credibility. "Hoping for Buffett is just greedy…" Anyway, he wouldn’t join my fund; our risk profiles are completely different. A man who ticulously values good stocks through rigorous assessnts wouldn’t fall for sothing like a ‘miracle 80:20 recipe.' I need to aim for a slightly more likely major investor.
In short, soone like a forr Secretary of State or legendary diplomat who once helped a con artist steal 10 billion dollars.
“Sean?”
Ah, just in ti. Here’s Princess Rachel, the only one in my network with ties to major investors.
“Did I… intrude on soone else’s departnt too casually?” Rachel whispered softly, given that every eye in the departnt was fixed on her, with a few people even standing with their mouths open. It couldn’t be helped. Our princess’s appearance is practically cheating.
“Oh, not at all!”
“Sean’s friend!”
“Which departnt do you belong to?”
The n, having regained their composure, sward in, but we couldn’t waste ti here. We had a lot to do today.
“Shall we go?”
We decided to have dinner in Koreatown. Normally, a low-level analyst wouldn’t go out for dinner like this. But Rachel is a princess, and I’m a unicorn. Why save privileges?
“Was it wrong of to co?” Rachel asked worriedly in the taxi. People did seem to give a hard look when they saw taking a rare beauty out.
“No, it’s just that the people in the departnt don’t really like . Don’t mind it.”
"Then should I be more cautious…?"
“No, actually, Rachel being here helps. It would be nice if you ca often. It’s easy to deal with guys who want to impress a beautiful woman.”
“By the way, did you have a good ti with your family?”
We’ve grown quite close over ti. Although the princess hasn’t directly revealed her father’s identity, she’s confessed enough for to know her family is quite well off.
Additionally, yesterday she ntioned she’d be eting with her father and brother.
“How long has it been since you saw them?”
“Probably about a month? My brother happened to be on a business trip…”
“Where does your brother live?”
“Mostly in Virginia.”
“Were they worried? It’s your first ti eting them since you got the job…”
I had shared quite a bit with Rachel about the stakes involved in my current wager. I wonder how much of it actually got through to her.
“Worried… yes, they were worried.”
Is that it? No follow-up questions like “How’s work life going?” or “Any new colleagues you’ve t recently…”
“Actually, to be honest…”
“We’ve arrived.”
Darn. The flow was interrupted. But I can’t rush things. If I ask too many questions, it’ll only raise her guard.
“Do you enjoy Korean food?”
“Of course! I love Korean BBQ!”
It seems our princess is craving at, but not today—I already had a nu in mind.
“Since we need to go back later, wouldn’t the sll of at be a bit noticeable?”
“True, but I don’t know many other dishes…”
“How about bibimbap and pajeon?”
Rachel smiled brightly and nodded. It was worth choosing a place without grills to avoid tempting her carnivorous instincts.
After we placed our order, Rachel looked around and started talking.
“This is a bit unexpected. It’s the first ti I’ve heard you say you wanted to eat Korean food…”
“Chuseok was just recently, and I was too busy to celebrate.”
“Chuseok?”
“Oh, you’re unfamiliar? It’s the Korean Thanksgiving.”
Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. That’s when I’m supposed to et her father at the princess’s mansion.
“Korea has a Thanksgiving too?”
“Yes, it’s one of the biggest holidays. During Chuseok, families make all sorts of dishes, and in my family, we’d always mix the side dishes into a big bowl of bibimbap. That’s probably why I start to crave it around this ti of year.”
Rember? I’m a poor orphan, longing for family gatherings during the holidays.
“Here is your bibimbap and pajeon.”
The food arrived, but Rachel seed unsure how to eat it, just watching without picking up her spoon.
“Do you handle spicy food well?”
“I can eat jalapeños just fine…”
“Then add the gochujang, like this.”
I added a generous amount of gochujang and sesa oil, mixing the vegetables thoroughly to show her. Rachel followed suit, but as a beginner, she didn’t quite know how to mix it properly. She stirred it gingerly, barely incorporating the gochujang.
“Here, let help you.”
“No, it’s fine. I can…”
“I’m just hungry, so let’s get it ready quickly and eat together.”
Rachel reluctantly handed her bowl, and I gently separated the vegetables with a spoon, mixing it all thoroughly.
“Hmm, why can’t I do it like you?”
She seed genuinely fascinated. Her curious expression was pretty cute, but I couldn’t afford to smile too fondly. I had to keep it wistful here.
“I couldn’t do it well when I was younger, either. The vegetables are a bit stringy, so it takes effort. That’s why my parents always mixed it for .”
“…”
Let's just stop here for today. No need for to start a lodrama by saying, ‘I miss my family.’ That would only backfire. A fund manager swayed by emotions doesn’t inspire confidence. What’s important is associating the word ‘Thanksgiving' with , subtly leading Princess Rachel to invite on her own. Since I’ve set that up, it's ti to move on to the next mission.
“How have you been lately, Rachel?”
Rachel lowered her head suddenly, pushing her spoon into the well-mixed bibimbap. “Sigh, I really don’t think I’m suited for this work.”
This is my second task for today. I have a feeling our princess is close to quitting. If Rachel leaves Goldman, our relationship might fade away naturally. But I can’t let that happen. Rachel needs to stay here, building a strong bond with as her colleague.
“Is the work very difficult?”
“It’s not that I dislike the grunt work. I even get to attend client etings, so I know I’m privileged. But I’m not sure this ti is aningful… it doesn’t feel like a good fit, and I lack talent…”
This is a phase every analyst faces. When you're trapped in a building from morning until dawn, doing reverse engineering, it’s natural to wonder if this is what life is all about. Honestly, the world wouldn’t suffer much if reverse engineering specialists just vanished. The solution? Financial motivation. The problem is that financial motivation doesn’t work on a princess who already has plenty of money.
“It’s too early to judge your talent or aptitude. Who’s great from the start?”
Rachel pursed her lips at my words, and her expression made her thoughts clear: ‘You’re a unicorn.’
“I didn’t have natural talent either. I just put in more ti.”
“Ti?”
“I spent four years in dical school, so I see this industry differently than others.”
“That… makes sense.”
“Ti doesn’t lie. The results will reflect the ti you put in.”
It feels a bit ironic for to say that, given that I’ve benefited from so fortunate breaks. But I did put in the ti.
“Are you telling … to put in more effort?”
“No, effort isn’t necessary. Just keep doing it.”
“What?”
“Effort is a word that appeals to emotions, as in, ‘I’m struggling, but I’m still trying my best.’ It emphasizes feelings and willpower. But feelings and willpower aren’t what matter. In the end, it’s the numbers that deliver results.”
“…"
“The more you input, the more output you’ll naturally have. If you fail ten tis, try a hundred tis, and sothing is bound to work. Try a thousand tis, and you might succeed ten tis. Try ten thousand tis, and miracles happen.”
It’s no lie. I only discovered my big break after countless failures. If I’d given up after a hundred attempts, I would have never found it.
But Rachel just stared down at her bibimbap with a hesitant look.
‘Did I sound too much like a lecture?’ Judging by her expression, I might have. Ti to adjust course.
“Well, I say all that, but…”
Here, I should give a compassionate smile like a wise kung fu master.
“As humans, we're bound to be influenced by emotions, so it's important to do what we love. What is it that you enjoy, Rachel?”
Rachel’s expression softened. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to mind my awkward topic shift.
“Hmm… what I enjoy…?”
“It’s simple. Is there sothing you continue to put effort into, even if you don’t get anything in return?”
It’s an abrupt career counseling mont, but if she doesn’t fit here, I’ll just have to help her find another path.
“Well, it might sound silly… but I actually wanted to pursue art.”
“Why is that silly?”
I must have hit the right button, as her green eyes started to shimr with emotion. Looks like I moved her, which is a good thing, but… Please, don’t look at like that. Her gaze is still sothing I’m not used to; it never fails to disarm . If I look away, it’ll seem cold, but it’s hard to keep looking at her directly. Thankfully, she broke eye contact first, looking down with a faint, bitter smile.
“The truth is… I don’t have any talent for art. Not that I’ve tried ten thousand tis or anything…”
This isn’t so bad.
“Do you still invest ti in it?”
“I make ti to visit galleries. I don’t actually paint…”
“Then how about becoming a gallery owner?”
I genuinely recomnd this path. Art buyers are typically wealthy, and if Rachel runs a gallery, she’ll develop her own network of affluent clients, separate from her family.
“To run a gallery, I’d need to be able to recognize the value of art, right? I don’t have that kind of eye. I just look at paintings I like… and they’re usually not even profitable pieces…”
“That’s fine. You can always hire employees who have a good eye and are financially savvy.”
“What? But if I do that, what would I be doing…?”
“Rachel, you have a strong background and connections. That’s a competitive advantage that money can’t buy.”
Why hold back when she has such a valuable asset?
“But… isn’t that unfair?”
As expected from a princess, she's considerate of her future competitors.
“Instead of competitors, why not think of supporting artists?”
“Artists?”
“Artists who create the kinds of paintings you enjoy. You just ntioned they don’t typically create profitable works.”
“Yes, I do seem to have a knack for choosing those kinds of artists…”
“That’s exactly it. Other gallery owners will ignore them because they don’t make money. But the one person who can support these artists is a gallery owner who has the ans. There aren’t many like that in the world.”
“…!”
“Rachel, you could be the guiding light for struggling, unrecognized artists.”
Looks like the idea of doing sothing beneficial resonates with her.
“I hadn’t thought of that…”
“Consider it. If you decide to run a gallery, then your ti at Goldman won’t be wasted.”
“What?”
“Running a gallery is ultimately a brokerage job, isn’t it? Goldman may be in a different field, but it’s also brokerage. The know-how you gain here will be incredibly useful later.”
“…!”
Finally, we’ve reached the main point. To make Rachel’s two years at Goldman aningful, all I need to do is fra it as a stepping stone toward her dream.
“Not only that. Every person Rachel ets now could be a potential client for your future gallery. You can start building your client list in advance. Plus, you can visit their offices and get a sense of their tastes through their decor.”
“…!”
“There’s no need to decide right away; take your ti to think it over. Who knows, these two years at Goldman might beco an invaluable asset to you.”
“…Yes.”
Rachel smiled slightly. It was a smile I’d never seen from her before.
A bright smile, genuinely heartfelt. ‘This one might take a while to wear off.’ At the very least, she probably won’t be handing in her resignation anyti soon.
But then—
“Thank you, really…”
Is it just , or is there a strange, tingly feeling in the air? This could be dangerous… Maybe I’m overthinking it, but if her feelings toward develop into sothing romantic? That would be problematic. To , Rachel isn’t a woman. She’s a client, one who can bring in major investors.
“Did you get ho late last night?”
“Yes, it was our first ti eting in a while, so we stayed until midnight…”
I quickly changed the topic, and Rachel responded imdiately, seemingly wanting to shake off that sa awkwardness.
“That’s quite late. It must have been tiring for your father, getting to Greenwich at that hour…”
“Oh, he’ll be fine. He’s been staying at the t for a while…”
Rachel said it casually, then paused, realizing her slip.
“The t? You an the tropolitan Museum?”
“Yes, he has a place in the city too. It’s a bit hard to commute from Greenwich…”
When I brought up the well-known “t,” Rachel visibly relaxed. That told sothing important: the “t” she ntioned isn’t an art museum. Given her status, there’s only one plausible guess: the tropolitan Club.
Located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, it’s a private social club with a strict mbership policy. If this is true… this is a huge opportunity. From Rachel to her father, and from her father to the club. That’s only two steps to get in.
‘She’s definitely a big catch.’
The tropolitan Club isn’t a place where you can just buy your way in; entry is strictly by invitation from an existing mber. Wealth is just the baseline; trustworthiness is essential. Building a relationship with Rachel could be the way to crack that barrier in this lifeti. No, I have to make it happen, by any ans necessary. The club is a gathering place for only the wealthiest of the wealthy.
How exclusive is it? Well, four U.S. presidents have been mbers. That gives you an idea.
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