How Hard can Losing Money even Be?

Benny leaned back in his chair, staring at the empty plates in front of him.

They were completely empty, a testament to how tasty the food had been.

He exhaled, satisfied.

"...That was worth it."

For a moment, he just sat there, letting the aftertaste linger.

"Now that I’m full, I think I know what direction I need to go. What is investment firm if not a legal gambling den?"

He smirked to himself.

"The system’s already called the Tycoon Investment System anyway..." It fits.

He stood up, walked to the counter, and settled the 30¥ bill.

Stepping out of the café, Benny stretched slightly before turning back toward campus.

The walk felt shorter this time.

Or maybe his mind was just too busy planning.

As for the people he could hire...

A faint smirk returned.

"there are plenty of students in his department desperate for internships."

And if it was paid one.

"Yeah... i don’t know anyone who’s turning that down."

Then there were also his friends.

His late night gaming buddies, with whom he skip lectures together and were barely passing the exams.

If anything—

"They’ll probably lose money without even trying."

Which was exactly what he needed.

And if they do make money... he shrugged.

"Then that’s just luck."

By the time he reached the dorm building, the plan had already taken shape in his head.

Back in his room, Benny dropped onto his chair and pulled out his phone.

"Let’s set this up first..."

He navigated quickly, initiating the company registration process online.

[ What would the company name be? ]

He paused for a moment.

Then, without overthinking it,"Autumn."

[ Autumn ]

Benny leaned back, staring at the screen as the name settled in.

The door suddenly swung open as Neo walked in, tossing his coat aside before looking straight at Benny.

"Ben! Ben! Where were you? The professor was really mad this time!"

"I was busy," Benny replied flatly.

"Busy?" Neo raised a brow, then shrugged. "Uh... well, I guess that explains it. But—"

He suddenly turned, grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it down slightly, as if reenacting the moment.

"The professor today, man, she was wearing such a wild outfit. You seriously missed it!"

Benny let out a short laugh, shaking his head.

Some things never changed.

Even as they grew older, Neo’s personality stayed exactly the same—loud, carefree, and completely unserious.

Neo...

Benny’s eyes lingered on him for a moment and then a thought surfaced.

Neo might’ve been born rich...

But if there was one thing everyone agreed on... It was that his luck was terrible.

Absolutely cursed.

It had become such a running joke that people stopped questioning it.

Benny’s eyes lit up slightly.

Maybe...

He can actually help me with this.

Excitement flickered across his face as he leaned forward, about to speak when.

[ Warning ]

[ The existence of the system must remain strictly confidential. ]

[ As the host is actively striving for loss, Additional Condition Applied: ]

[ Any financial loss incurred must not appear to be intentional or manipulated. ]

[ Violations will result in penalties. ]

Benny froze as the words sank in slowly and his expression shifted.

So I can’t just throw money away carelessly...

His gaze drifted back to Neo who was still talking about the way the professor dressed.

Benny leaned back slightly, a faint smile forming again.

That’s fine. If I can’t make a loss intentional...

Then I’ll just make it look natural. Like naturally trusting the right people.

Benny leaned forward slightly, keeping his tone casual.

"Neo, I’ve recently been invited to join an investment firm. They said I could bring someone along."

Neo blinked. "Investment? Is it for an internship?"

"Not exactly," Benny shook his head. "It’s part-time so we will get paid. And it can count toward internship hours."

"Count me in," Neo said immediately.

"So what are we actually doing?" he asked, already sounding invested.

"Well... it’s not finalized yet," Benny replied. "Probably take a day or so to sort things out."

Right then...

Buzz.

Benny’s phone lit up and he glanced at it, then his eyes narrowed slightly.

[ The company registration has been completed. Congratulations CEO of Autumn. ]

"Should we tell the others?" Neo asked, already looking like he might blurt it out anyway.

Putting down his phone, Benny shook his head immediately.

"No. Let’s keep it between us for now. We’ll tell them once we’re... actually settled in or full time employees."

Neo opened his mouth, clearly itching to share but then he caught Benny’s look.

"...Alright," he sighed, giving in. "I’ll keep it quiet."

His expression shifted, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

"But you’ve gotta treat me to dinner."

"Dinner?" Benny echoed, momentarily thrown, then his eyes sparked with sudden realization.

A work dinner! For recruiting a new employee. It was a completely legitimate and justified spending of the company money! 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The idea settled in instantly, and his mood lifted.

"You’re already doing so well," Benny said, patting Neo firmly on the shoulder.

Neo blinked, caught off guard, a flicker of confusion crossing his face as he tried to keep up with the abrupt turn.

"I’ve got to head out for some business first," he added, already grabbing his jacket again.

"I’ll message you where to meet later."

"Got it," Neo said, flopping onto the bed.

Benny stepped out and the door clicked shut behind him.

The office space had already been secured.

Which meant the next step was to outfit it with PCs, desks, and chairs.