"Oh, I feel better!"
"Thank you, Tanaka-kun!"
"I never thought that you could have such a skill."
Suzuki smiled softly, as he could feel the connection he had with everyone who was connected due to those who lent him their mana.
Loan Shark.
It was his ability to lend anything of himself, and naturally, if they didn't pay, he would take away their everything so they could pay their debts.
Naturally, it didn't mean he wanted to trap them in debt, but just in case, right?
If he didn't know the plot of Arifureta, he wouldn't do this, but since he did, he knew he needed to prepare.
'Loan shark, huh?'
Still, among all the skills that he gained, why did he gain the "Loan Shark"
Was he likely to do something so evil?
No, he wasn't, since he had always tried to treat others with good faith, but if they messed with him, then they should be prepared, as he would repay them twice or more of what they had done to him. This was just a countermeasure, and if no one really did anything to him, then everything would be peaceful. As for the interest?
Naturally, Suzuki didn't put a lot of interest, only 3%; of course, not daily, but monthly.
Yet, if they asked him for his mana more, then...
Let's not say anything, but as expected, to maintain his penthouse skills, he needed mana, and the more people to borrow from, the better it was, as that way, he could use their mana as a payment to support his luxury.
"1,600 gold coins..."
What could he do with it?
Naturally, it was a lot, as he could even maintain an army to hold a territory, but he wasn't a lord or noble, so he didn't need an army. Instead of an army, which might attract the attention of the kingdom and the church, which was troublesome, he should use his money for something better.
No, he wouldn't buy any more black pepper or MSG, as he knew the scarcity would make his goods more expensive. If he dumped all of his goods, then he would crush the price.
'Hmm?'
As he wondered about what to do, he couldn't help but listen to the conversations among the knights that happened near him.
"Hey, can you lend me some money? Please?"
"More? You haven't paid me for yesterday! I also need some money, you know?"
"Please, it is only one time! Just one time! I want to go on a date with her! I don't need much! Only five gold coins!"
"Five gold coins are a lot, you bastard! How much do you think my salary is?!"
"Then, what should I do?! She might dump me!"
As several knights talked, all of a sudden a voice echoed.
"Excuse me."
"UWAAAA!"
Everyone was startled before they saw Suzuki, one of those from other worlds, who was summoned to this world. Naturally, they remembered him, as his features were some of the most handsome.
No, he was handsome and masculine, and, more importantly, his job was as a Merchant, which made them remember how he would come out to the city to tour around.
"I can't help but listen to your conversation." Suzuki's smile was harmless, gentle, like a Collie dog. "Do you need money? Do you want me to lend it to you?"
"Eh? You will?!"
Whether it was the ones who needed the money or those who listened, they were dumbfounded.
"I don't mind, but I hope that you can take care of my friends, okay?"
'Ah!'
At that moment, everyone realized why Suzuki had been kind to them.
"Don't worry! We'll take care of everyone!"
"Good." Suzuki then summoned his contract. "You don't mind signing a contract, right? You have to pay a little interest, though."
"I DON'T MIND!"
As long as the knight got the money, he didn't care!
"....."
Suzuki stared at the knight for a while, wondering why they were so simple. "Good, please sign it here."
"Okay!"
The knight didn't hesitate and signed the contract immediately.
"You don't want to read it?"
"No, it's fine! I trust you, er..."
"Tanaka-kun."
"Yes, Tanaka-kun!"
"Okay." Suzuki sighed inwardly, wondering why many found it so easy to make a debt, but he didn't mind, since the more people who lent him money, the better it was. "By the way, what is your job?"
"Me? I am a Knight!"
The knight proudly patted his metal plate.
"I see." Suzuki sat down for a moment and asked, "Your job is good, but why do you need money? You should have been paid a lot, right?"
"Of course not!" The knight cried when Suzuki asked him this question and told him all of his grievances.
"Ah..." Yet, as Suzuki listened, he couldn't help but feel that the knight was a tragic victim of a toxic corporate culture (the kingdom).
The Knights might be an official military force of the Heiligh Kingdom and the Holy Church. They wear heavy armor, fight in coordinated formations, and are bound by strict codes of chivalry and loyalty to the crown.
Yes, they were awesome, but they were paid a fixed salary regardless of how many monsters they killed, and their "chivalry" meant they couldn't negotiate for better hazard pay, no matter how hard they worked.
In other words, they had no bonus or overtime pay.
"Then, when are you going to pay me?"
"Next week! Once I get my salary, I will pay you immediately!"
"Sure." Suzuki gave the money anyway, and the knight was happy, yet everyone who saw it was dumbfounded by how easily he could withdraw money. They looked at each other, gulped, then softly asked, "Um... can we borrow some money, too?"
He didn't show a rejection; his smile was as gentle as ever, but more contracts emerged from his palms. "Sure, but do you mind signing a contract and accepting my interest~?"
"Yeah!"
Yet, Suzuki also understood why his contract was accepted so easily, since his interest was low, as he only asked them to pay 3% compounding monthly.
To the Knights, a 3% monthly interest rate sounded incredibly generous compared to the extortionate rates of local crime syndicates, so no one hesitated to take loans from him.
Why did he put such a low interest, which was different from the guildmaster before?
Suzuki used low interest rates not to destroy a target, but to leash all of those knights under his chains. This was his crowd-control mechanism, designed to create permanent dependency and a steady, passive income stream.
As long as anyone signed his contract, it acted as a permanent, passive debuff. If the King or the Church ordered a Knight bound by a low-interest contract to attack him, his skill would be recognized as "Assaulting a Creditor." The knight's muscles would instantly freeze, and their mana would be drained to zero.
In other words, he essentially bought a private army by letting them owe him pocket change.
No, he didn't want them to pay off the principal. As long as they are paying the minimum monthly interest, they remain permanently bound by the contract and under his mercy.
Still, the knights were on their first steps, and by then, he would expand his target from the working class, minor merchants, and useful informants.
'Ah, a week is a long time...'
Suzuki couldn't wait for a week to pass, watching that fat guildmaster in despair, as he thought away the guildmaster's everything. At the same time, he also wished for the fat guildmaster to bring as many friends as possible, as that way, no one could escape from his clutch in this kingdom.
Still, as he skipped to his room, thinking about how wonderful his day was, someone knocked on his door.
"Yes?"
As he checked to see who it was—
"C-Can we stay together, Suzuki?"
Shizuku was there.
---
Shizuku is good.
I like a ponytail.
Kaori is also good, though.