"Right... Let me explain..."
Bronie rubbed her temples in frustration as she watched Raven lying on the floor, looking like she was about to start rolling around again. She turned to Imhotep to clarify the situation.
"Mama Natasha did indeed buy a private island a few years ago and built a huge villa on it, intending to provide a home for the children to live and grow up in."
"The project used up her life savings. She had originally planned to work for a few more years, save up enough for their education and living expenses, and then retire... but..."
"But?"
"But the Great Honkai Eruption—that's what you call it, right, Miss Valkyrie?"
"Ah... yes. The global-scale Great Honkai Eruption, the root cause of countless secondary Honkai disasters and natural calamities."
Imhotep nodded.
"The massive tsunami triggered by that disaster... permanently submerged the island. And not long before that, the villa had just been completed, with all payments settled..."
Bronie sighed, her head starting to throb again as she watched Raven, who had predictably begun rolling around on the floor.
"So she lost everything—both the people and the property?"
"And when she went to the insurance company, they rejected her claim because the tsunami was considered an act of God. She had nowhere to even seek compensation..."
"Hmm... Your Excellency Valkyrie—does Schicksal offer compensation or resettlement funds for situations like this...?"
Bronie ultimately chose to ignore Natasha, who was rolling on the floor with increasing intensity, and turned her pleading gaze to Miss Imhotep.
"Normally, Schicksal does provide resettlement funds and some compensation... but an entire island... Let's analyze the case based on the facts—"
"First, the core of our problem—"
"In 2015, Ms. Natasha used her personal savings to purchase an island as her future residence. The procedures were complete, legally valid, and protected by law. After completing the declaration process, she built her primary residence on the island, which was handed over in mid-2016 upon final payment."
"However, a few months later, due to a certain Second Herrscher Vessel, 'Kiana,' being abducted by a certain 'Fu Hua' and taken to Schicksal, where she was subjected to forced experiments by a certain Overseer, her alter ego emerged, indirectly leading to the destruction of the island purchased by Ms. Raven."
"It is known that 'Fu Hua' is now physically deceased; 'Kiana' has a professionally diagnosed report of schizophrenia; and 'Otto' has also requested a psychiatric evaluation, citing long-term harassment by the Void Archives as the cause of his mental instability."
"Oh, let me ask in advance... The funds the manager used to purchase the island were legally obtained, right? After all, while owning a decent-sized bar in the bustling heart of Arc City certainly proves some financial standing, it's still a massive leap to a private island and a villa covering the entire thing... That seems like a bit of a stretch."
Imhotep narrowed her eyes, studying Raven, who had stopped rolling on the floor and was now propped up, ears perked, listening intently to her conversation with Bronie.
"The income... well... it might not have been entirely... hmm... let's say it was a little bit gray... or maybe even black...?"
Bronie's expression grew uncertain.
"A little bit?"
"Hmm... a billion little."
The hacker girl nodded with conviction.
"Ah, that simplifies things—as for the primary suspects in Kiana's abduction, Otto and his accomplice Fu Hua, one, as the Schicksal Overseer, possesses extraterritoriality and legal immunity, making him impossible to hold legally responsible. The other is confirmed deceased and has been removed from the Schicksal Valkyrie roster, so she also cannot be held accountable."
"We can only request compensation from them on humanitarian grounds."
"Next, regarding Kiana, who is also a victim: the direct cause of the island's destruction is classified as an 'unavoidable natural disaster.' However, the direct actor was Kiana. But as a subject of Otto's illegal human experimentation, Kiana developed a second personality, supported by a professionally certified report of schizophrenia."
"Furthermore, at the time of the incident, she was in an unknowable and uncontrollable psychotic state, the primary cause of which was Otto's inhumane and illegal human experimentation. Therefore, Otto still bears full responsibility."
"From this, we conclude that Otto must compensate Ms. Natasha for her emotional distress, actual property losses, and provide humanitarian compensation to the numerous orphans adopted by Ms. Natasha, the beneficiaries of the island villa."
"However, due to his extraterritorial immunity, Otto cannot be held criminally liable for any other offenses—hmm... now, let's address Ms. Natasha's side."
"According to her adopted daughter Bronie's statement, the vast majority of the funds used to purchase the island villa were from gray or even black-market illegal income. Therefore, these funds are considered ill-gotten gains, and the island villa purchased with them is also deemed ill-gotten property. Consequently, Otto only needs to compensate for the portion derived from her legitimate business operations, such as the bar."
"Simultaneously... we must investigate and gather evidence on the source of the remaining substantial illegal income to pursue potential legal liabilities and disputes against Ms. Natasha."
Growing increasingly uneasy as she listened, Raven stealthily approached the door...
"So, Bronie, what's Ms. Natasha's side hustle—or rather, her real main business? Smuggling? Tomb raiding? Or arms dealing?"
"Hmm... she's a mercenary."
Bronie decisively sold out a certain Raven who was already near the bar's entrance.
"A mercenary, huh? So she's probably done all the things you mentioned? Maybe even murder, terrorist attacks, and the like?"
Imhotep nodded, then turned to look at the bar's entrance...
"You Schicksal Valkyries will never catch me!!!"
In a flash, Miss Raven vanished, leaving only the bar door rattling in the wind and rain.
"Logically speaking... I'm not a Schicksal Valkyrie right now... Oh well. Looks like you're the new owner of this bar, Bronie. So, where do I pay, little manager?"
Imhotep pouted slightly and turned her gaze back to Bronie.
"Scan a code, swipe a card, or cash?"
"Card, please—"
The gray-haired girl handed over a card reader. Imhotep casually swiped her card, then, with her eyes closed, punched in a long string of zeros to complete the payment.
"Um... Ma'am, did you perhaps pay a little too much?"
Bronie stared at the received amount, stunned.
"Oh, just consider it a donation for the orphans. The children are always innocent, after all—Hmm, Bronie, you'll manage it well, right?"
Imhotep tilted her head and looked at the new manager before her.
"Mhm, rest assured, leave it to Bronie. Bronie can multiply it several times over using legal means."
The newly appointed young manager nodded confidently, then immediately opened her phone and computer and began working at lightning speed. Judging by the screen, it seemed to be some kind of stock trading platform...