Something's wrong with how I'm watching anime.

A sheet of letter paper was turned over, and neat, beautiful handwriting reappeared.

"Money is just an external factor; what truly causes all of this is the devil within people's hearts."

"The real devil is those dark and sinister thoughts that emerge from the human heart, lying dormant silently until they burst forth and devour a person when tempted."

Looking at the handwriting, Seele couldn't help but nod:

“You’re right, the problem is human greed… Greed turned my family into a different person.”

Kazama continued writing:

"Everything in the world has two sides. This is true of human selfishness and greed, and it is also true of the consequences of choices."

"You will inevitably lose something in order to gain something; everything is an exchange of equal value. Rather than regret and heartache, staying where you are and looking to the future is the right way to go."

Kazama is no stranger to psychological counseling.

After Chen Nan's incident, Kazama frantically studied a lot of knowledge about psychology and psychological counseling.

When encountering such a situation, the first step in comforting the other person is to acknowledge their predicament, and then to intentionally encourage and guide them.

"future...."

Seele's attention was diverted, and she murmured the words:

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm worried about. I've left home and received a large sum of money, but what am I going to do next?"

Although the girl longed to be independent and self-reliant, she had always been a sheltered young woman who had never experienced the ways of the world.

The uncertainty and fear about the future are what she truly cannot face.

“Mr. Void Spirit, you know a lot. You must know what the future holds for that girl,” Seele Dietrich said hopefully.

"I'd like to make another deal with you for this, the reward being one, no, three phantom books..."

"I request your guidance on the future."

Chapter Seventy-Six Suggestions

In exchange for finding three illusory books, he asked Kazama to guide him on his future.

What Kazama values ​​now is not the Phantom Book anymore, but Seele Dietrich, who serves as his fulcrum for interfering with the world of Dantalian Bookshelf.

"As you wish..."

In early 20th-century Great Britain, an inheritance tax was introduced to alleviate the widening gap between the rich and poor and to replenish the national treasury. This tax rate, at only 8%, was relatively low compared to later periods.

The two million pounds sterling was not the full amount when it fell into the girl's hands, but it was still a huge fortune.

"Although this seems much larger than before, it is not something that can be spent forever. If it is just spent extravagantly, then no amount of money can last forever."

Looking at the words written on the paper, Seele nodded in approval.

She knew this; her family had once been wealthy, but due to the extravagance of a certain patriarch, the family's accumulated wealth was almost entirely squandered in that generation.

The decline of the Dietrich family can be seen as a product of the times, but it is also not without the reasons of their ancestors' squandering of wealth.

"Given your current situation, your first priority should be finding a place to live. I think you could spend a few hundred thousand to buy some real estate and properties."

Seele nodded again and left home. After handling her great-aunt's funeral arrangements, she had been staying in a hotel for the past few days.

Finding a new place for her to live is an urgent matter.

"Then it's about investing... The best way to use money that has reached a certain amount is not to save it, but to invest it so that it can make money grow."

"There are two options when it comes to investing..."

"The most conservative approach is to buy government bonds..."

In his observational state, Kazama also investigated the social conditions of that world.

The British pound is currently quite strong as a global currency, and given that the country has only recently ended a war and urgently needs to raise funds, government bonds offer relatively good returns. The annualized profit is approximately 5%.

"If you buy government bonds, you will have a decent income every year. This income may not allow you to live a luxurious life, but it can at least allow you to maintain an above-middle-class standard of living."

"Another option is the investment industry..."

"Investing in a factory?" Seele asked.

She knew that many big capitalists started their businesses by opening factories.

Investing in factories my ass...

Kazama rolled his eyes in the void.

Even before the end of World War I, Great Britain's economy was severely impacted. It appears relatively stable now, but soon both the primary and secondary sectors will decline.

Even without the impact of World War I, and with Great Britain's economy booming, investing in factories was not something a novice like Seele Dietley could do.

After all, a major drawback of highly developed capitalism is the emergence of monopolies. This trend has already begun, with major chambers of commerce serving as precursors to fully-fledged trusts.

In mature industrial sectors, newcomers entering now are destined to be swallowed up by the big fish.

Therefore, investing in new industries is the key to success in this era.

The world of Dantalian's bookshelf is remarkably similar to a certain period of history in the present world. This world is also in an era of technological innovation, with various inventions emerging one after another.

Kazama's gaze fell on today's newspaper in the upper right corner of the table, or more precisely, on a recruitment advertisement in the newspaper.

They weren't recruiting workers, but investors.

The person who initiated the recruitment was named Guglielmo Marconi.

A future Nobel laureate in physics, and a pioneer of wireless telegraphy. (In reality, Marconi had already successfully experimented with wireless telegraphy in the late 19th century. This is an artistic embellishment.)

“Guglielmo Marconi...you can invest in him, or rather, his skills....”

Kazama used his mental powers to manipulate the newspaper and place it in front of Seele Dietrich.

Seele Dietrich picked up the newspaper and began to carefully read the recruitment notice.

"Wireless telegraph?"

Seele Dietrich looked at the information in the newspaper, a look of hesitation on her face.

The telegraph was a great invention, enabling immediate communication with people thousands of miles away.

Telegraph technology was already widespread in Europe, with lines in every city and even towns.

To be honest, Seele Dietrich was quite skeptical of the effectiveness of telegraphs that did not require wires.

Kazama noticed Seele's expression.

Indeed, when a new technology is truly introduced and its effects are revealed to the public, most people who are accustomed to the old ways are generally skeptical of it.

"This is just my suggestion; the final choice is yours," Kazama wrote.

"The above suggestions are all for the money you have."

"My final piece of advice is about yourself."

"What distinguishes humans from animals, besides intelligence, is that humans have their own goals for survival. They work and study for a specific goal, rather than just instinctively striving for survival."

"You should find something to do for yourself, like studying."

“Learning painting, dance, or music can greatly improve oneself.”

"Or perhaps it's about developing a career you aspire to, like doing charity work."

"That's the general direction," Kazama wrote at the end.

As the final, invisible stroke fell, Seele Dietrich was jolted awake from Kazama's previous investment advice.

"Sir, your suggestions are very pertinent and very constructive to me."

Apart from the suggestion to invest in the 'wireless telegraph', Seele thought all the other suggestions were excellent.

It's clear that this ethereal being is earnestly fulfilling the deal, offering her advice on her future direction.

'We need to hurry and help find the illusionary book...'

Seele Dietrich thought to herself.

So far, although it's a transaction, this Mr. Void Spirit has fulfilled his part of the promise, while I haven't given anything in return.

This made the girl feel very uneasy.

Thank you for your suggestion...

After a moment, Seele Dietrich seemed to remember something, looked up and said:

"Sir, if I find that magical book called the 'Phantom Book,' how should I contact you?"

Kazama's previous disappearance had left her feeling extremely anxious.

She wanted to know how to contact this mysterious being.

In that case, I might be able to continue receiving their help and conducting transactions in the future.

Looking at the girl in the void, Kazama smiled slightly, roughly knowing what she was thinking.

He knew that the establishment of this 'fulcrum' was already a success.

"If you wish to find me, simply call my name at noon each day."

Kazama set a specific time.

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Two Illusory Books

The biggest difference between the real world and the world in the story lies in time.

By using his special ability to drag the progress bar, time over there can be as slow as a second or as fast as a day in an instant for Kazama in the real world.

After 64 units, measured in 'days', Kazama received a reward.

From the fulcrum she had set for herself, in the world of Dantalian's bookshelves, a girl named Seele Dietrich made a call.

.............

In a mansion in a mid-to-high-end residential area, a blonde girl dismissed the maid, went into the study, sat at her desk, prayed silently, and then called out a name.

Upon witnessing this scene, Kazama, who was outside, immediately entered observation and intervention mode.

Kazama looked around the study.