The next day, Elric stood outside the Grand View Hotel, staring up at the towering building that looked more like a modern palace than a place for mere mortals. The golden sunlight reflected off the pristine glass windows, and the grand marble entrance with its perfectly dressed doormen made his stomach twist with sudden nervousness.
Holy shit, he thought. This place probably costs more per night than my entire month's rent.
For a moment, the old Elric — the broke, tired version — wanted to turn around and run back to his cheap apartment. But then he remembered the truth: there was currently one billion dollars sitting in his Chase account, and he was the owner of a transcendent system that could turn him into something far beyond a normal human. Why the hell should he feel nervous?
His hand unconsciously tightened the knot of his cheap tie. He took a slow, deep breath, straightened his posture, and stepped forward with as much confidence as he could fake.
The moment he pushed open the heavy glass doors, the atmosphere completely changed. Cool, scented air washed over him, carrying faint notes of expensive perfume and fresh flowers. Almost instantly, two stunning female attendants in elegant mini blue skirts and crisp white blouses approached him with bright, professional smiles.
"Sir, welcome to the Grand View Hotel. Do you have an appointment?" one of them asked sweetly.
"Yes," Elric replied, trying to sound casual. "I have an appointment with Mr. Rick Johnson."
The moment the name left his lips, both women's eyes lit up with recognition. Rick Johnson was clearly a big deal here. One of them gave him a slightly deeper, more respectful smile.
"Ah, yes. Please come this way, sir. Mr. Johnson is already waiting for you."
They guided him through the luxurious lobby with graceful steps. Elric noticed how their heels clicked softly against the polished marble floor. He had never been treated like this in his life. Part of him wondered if rich people experienced this kind of service every single day. It felt strangely addictive.
They stopped in front of a private lounge door. One attendant gently opened it, revealing a well-dressed, middle-aged man sitting comfortably on a plush sofa, reading a magazine with focused attention. The man had a serious, refined appearance with a small, neatly trimmed white beard.
As soon as the door opened, Rick Johnson looked up. His face bloomed into a genuine, warm smile.
"Mr. Elric Williams! I've been waiting for you. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable."
Elric walked in and sat down across from him at the elegant low table. The sofa was so soft he nearly sank into it.
"What would you like to eat or drink?" Rick asked kindly.
"Anything is fine," Elric replied, still a bit overwhelmed.
Rick turned to the attendant with smooth authority. "Bring us the house specialties, please."
The attendant bowed slightly and left, closing the door behind her and leaving the two men alone.
Rick leaned back slightly, studying Elric with sharp but friendly eyes.
"You might have already guessed my purpose for meeting you today."
Elric almost laughed out loud. Guessed? Do I look like a paralyzed telepath to you? How the hell am I supposed to read your mind?
Instead, he kept his expression neutral and simply nodded.
"So, Mr. Elric, I won't waste your precious time. Let's get straight to the point." Rick paused for a moment. "This is a little personal, but you don't mind, right?"
"Go ahead," Elric said, picking up the expensive coffee that had been quietly placed in front of him.
"What do you plan to do with the money?"
Elric paused, the cup frozen halfway to his lips.
Yeah… what the hell am I going to do with one billion dollars?
He obviously couldn't tell Rick the real answer — that he needed to lose the money through specific purchases according to the system's strict rules. He couldn't just invest it normally in stocks either. What if the market suddenly boomed and he accidentally made even more money? That would completely ruin the "loss" requirement.
Seeing his hesitation, Rick smiled understandingly and continued.
"Please, you don't have to answer if it's difficult. My only purpose was to let you know that our bank provides many exclusive facilities for clients of your level — acquiring companies, strategic investments, purchasing high-value assets, and even…" He lowered his voice meaningfully, "many other things that might not be strictly discussed inside the lines of the law."
Ah, Elric thought. So this is a high-class sales pitch after all.
For a second he had been genuinely scared the man was going to ask something dangerous. He almost cursed Rick inside his head multiple times, but he maintained a polite smile on the surface.
"Yes, certainly," Elric replied smoothly. "I haven't fully decided what to do yet, but I will definitely consider Chase Bank if I need anything in the future."
At that moment, the door opened again. The attendants wheeled in a dazzling array of food — beautifully plated dishes, fresh seafood, premium steaks, and delicate desserts that looked almost too perfect to eat.
"Mr. Elric, as this is our first meeting, I've prepared a small personal gift for you," Rick said with a proud smile. "I hope you'll like it."
"Oh? What is it?" Elric asked curiously.
"It's a surprise. I can have it delivered directly to your door if you prefer. However, it was recently delivered from Germany and is currently stored safely in our private garage. If you're free, you're welcome to come with me and pick it up after breakfast."
Elric was about to give Rick his apartment address and be done with it, but the moment he imagined the bank manager seeing his rundown, musty $700-a-month apartment, a wave of embarrassment washed over him.
No way. I can't let him see that place.
"Yeah, I'm actually free right now," Elric said, trying to sound casual. "And I'm quite curious about the gift. If you don't mind, I'd like to pick it up now."
Rick's smile widened.
"As you wish. Please enjoy the meal first, and we'll head over together afterward."