Chapter 5: The First Fortune
1686 Words
Chapter 5: The First Fortune
The atmosphere inside the National Museum gradually returned to normal after Marcus and his group were escorted away.
Visitors resumed their tours.
Employees finally breathed sighs of relief.
The museum manager personally thanked Damian several times before seeing him off.
Throughout the entire process, Isabella remained unusually quiet.
Her beautiful eyes occasionally drifted toward Damian.
The more she observed him, the stranger he seemed.
Just a few days ago, Damian had been a quiet, timid student who spent most of his time studying and working at the milk tea café.
Now?
He was somehow connected to the owner of Azure Sky Villa.
Powerful people treated him with respect.
And he had just handled a situation that even the museum administration feared.
Nothing made sense.
Yet every strange event seemed to revolve around Damian.
"Shall we leave, Mr. Carter?"
Mr. Lee's respectful voice interrupted Isabella's thoughts.
Damian nodded.
"Let's go."
Outside the museum, several luxury vehicles waited.
The sight alone attracted countless curious glances.
Mr. Lee personally opened a car door.
"Please."
Damian still felt uncomfortable being treated this way.
But he climbed into the vehicle anyway.
To his surprise, Isabella joined him without hesitation.
Mr. Lee smiled knowingly before entering another vehicle.
Soon, the convoy departed.
As the city scenery passed by outside the window, neither Damian nor Isabella spoke for several minutes.
Eventually, Isabella broke the silence.
"Are you going to explain?"
Damian smiled helplessly.
"Explain what?"
"Everything."
She gestured toward the luxury vehicles.
"The museum."
"Mr. Lee."
"The villa."
"You."
Damian laughed awkwardly.
"I don't know where to start."
That answer wasn't entirely false.
Even he was struggling to process everything.
Just a few days ago, his biggest concern had been paying next month's tuition.
Now he apparently owned a luxury villa.
Life was changing too quickly.
Far too quickly.
After nearly forty minutes of driving, the convoy entered one of the most prestigious residential districts in the city.
Tall gates.
Private security.
Landscaped roads.
Luxury homes.
Everything screamed wealth.
Even Isabella looked surprised.
"This area..."
"It's expensive?"
Mr. Lee chuckled.
"Expensive is an understatement."
"Many influential businessmen live here."
"Some politicians as well."
Isabella's eyes widened.
Then the convoy turned toward an enormous private entrance.
Massive iron gates slowly opened.
The words Azure Sky Villa appeared on a marble monument nearby.
Beyond the gates stood a breathtaking mansion.
The building looked more like a luxury resort than a private residence.
Elegant architecture.
Large gardens.
A beautiful fountain.
Private walking paths.
Floor-to-ceiling windows.
The setting sun reflected off the structure, making it appear almost magical.
The moment Isabella saw it, she froze.
"What..."
Her voice barely escaped her lips.
"This belongs to you?"
To be honest, Damian was equally shocked.
The photographs had been impressive.
Reality was even more unbelievable.
Mr. Lee smiled.
"Welcome home, Mr. Carter."
Home.
The word sent a strange feeling through Damian's chest.
His entire life, he had lived in cramped apartments and tiny dormitories.
A place like this had always existed only in movies.
And now it belonged to him.
The group entered the property.
The interior was equally shocking.
Marble floors.
Crystal chandeliers.
Modern artwork.
Luxury furniture.
Everything was immaculate.
Everything was expensive.
Even Isabella, who came from a wealthy family, looked impressed.
"This place is incredible."
Mr. Lee nodded proudly.
"The previous owner invested heavily into the design."
He then guided them through the mansion.
The private theater.
The indoor swimming pool.
The gym.
The wine cellar.
The rooftop garden.
The library.
The guest suites.
The more Damian saw, the more unreal everything felt.
By the end of the tour, his mind was completely numb.
They eventually arrived in the main office.
Several lawyers and assistants were already waiting.
The handover process began immediately.
Documents were reviewed.
Ownership records were verified.
Signatures were completed.
After nearly an hour, the final document was signed.
Mr. Lee stood up and extended his hand.
"Congratulations."
"You are now officially the owner of Azure Sky Villa."
Damian shook his hand.
At that exact moment—
Ding!
The familiar mechanical voice echoed inside his head.
Damian nearly jumped.
A blue notification window appeared.
[Congratulations Host]
[Host Has Acquired First Property]
[Achievement Reward Loading...]
His heartbeat accelerated.
Another reward?
Seconds later—
[Reward Granted]
[Host Account Ending In XXX Has Been Credited]
[500,000 Yen Deposited]
Damian's eyes widened.
A moment later, his phone vibrated.
He glanced down.
Bank notification.
The money was real.
Very real.
His breathing quickened.
Half a million yen.
That was more money than he had ever possessed at one time.
Before he could recover—
Ding!
Another notification appeared.
[Congratulations Host]
[Host Has Broken Through Financial Milestone]
[100,000 Limit Exceeded]
[Calculating Relevant Rewards...]
[Calculating...]
[Calculating...]
For several seconds, the screen flickered.
Then—
[System Error]
Damian blinked.
"What?"
[System Error]
The message repeated.
For the first time, the system seemed confused.
Even Damian looked confused.
The screen flickered again.
Then—
[Compensation Reward Issued]
[Congratulations Host]
[Reward: BMW i7]
[Vehicle Registration Completed]
[Delivery En Route To Azure Sky Villa]
Damian nearly stopped breathing.
A car?
Not just any car.
A BMW i7.
One of the most luxurious electric sedans on the market.
The compensation reward felt even better than the original.
"What's wrong?"
Isabella noticed his strange expression.
"Nothing."
Damian immediately looked away.
Inside, however, he was celebrating.
The system was incredible.
Money.
Property.
Vehicles.
All arriving one after another.
If things continued like this...
His future might truly change.
A while later, the paperwork finally concluded.
Mr. Lee handed over a black card.
"This card grants access to all villa facilities."
"Thank you."
"It is my honor, Mr. Carter."
After exchanging a few more words, Mr. Lee prepared to leave.
Before departing, he glanced around the mansion.
"If you require anything, please contact me immediately."
"I will."
Soon, the convoy departed.
Silence returned to Azure Sky Villa.
Only Damian and Isabella remained.
For several moments, neither spoke.
Then Isabella suddenly laughed.
Damian looked at her.
"What?"
"I still can't believe this."
"Believe what?"
She gestured toward the mansion.
"Everything."
Damian smiled.
To be honest, neither could he.
They spent the next hour exploring the villa again.
The rooftop became Isabella's favorite location.
The city skyline stretched endlessly before them.
The evening lights gradually illuminated the horizon.
A cool breeze swept through the air.
For a brief moment, all their worries seemed distant.
"You're different."
Isabella suddenly said.
Damian looked at her.
"In what way?"
She thought for a moment.
"Before, you always looked defeated."
"Huh."
"Now..."
She smiled softly.
"You look like someone who finally believes in himself."
Damian fell silent.
Maybe she was right.
The system had changed more than his circumstances.
It had changed his mindset.
For the first time in years, he felt hope.
Real hope.
Meanwhile...
Across the city.
Inside a luxury apartment.
Tyler Dale sat on a couch while Samantha rested nearby.
The mood was relaxed.
Until Tyler's phone rang.
The moment he answered, his expression darkened.
"What?"
The voice on the other end explained the situation.
Marcus.
The museum.
The arrests.
The evidence.
The failed bail request.
Everything.
Tyler slowly stood.
His face became ugly.
"What do you mean they can't be released?"
Apparently the charges were more serious than expected.
Property damage.
Public disturbance.
Multiple witnesses.
Video recordings.
Influential parties involved.
The situation had become complicated.
Far more complicated than Tyler anticipated.
"Useless idiots."
He ended the call.
Samantha frowned.
"What happened?"
"My people were arrested."
"Seriously?"
Tyler nodded.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
How had Damian managed to turn the situation around?
It made no sense.
Before he could figure it out—
His phone rang again.
This time, his expression changed immediately.
The caller ID displayed a name.
Victor Dale.
His father.
Tyler answered instantly.
"Father."
A cold voice emerged from the phone.
"My office."
"Now."
The call ended.
Tyler's stomach tightened.
His father rarely summoned him directly.
And when he did...
It usually wasn't good news.
Meanwhile, back at Azure Sky Villa.
Night had fully arrived.
The city lights sparkled beautifully outside.
Damian glanced at the clock.
It was already late.
Much later than expected.
He looked toward Isabella.
"You should probably head home."
Isabella looked outside.
Then back at him.
The truth was that getting home at this hour would be inconvenient.
Especially considering the distance.
Seeing her hesitation, Damian spoke.
"There are dozens of guest rooms."
Isabella raised an eyebrow.
"Are you offering me a room?"
Damian nodded.
"You can stay here tonight."
For a moment, Isabella studied him carefully.
Most men would have hidden motives.
Most men would have acted strangely.
Damian didn't.
His invitation felt genuine.
Purely out of concern.
Eventually, she smiled.
"Alright."
"I'll stay."
Damian nodded.
He immediately asked the villa staff to prepare one of the guest suites.
Minutes later, everything was ready.
The room itself was larger than many apartments.
Even Isabella couldn't help laughing.
"This guest room is ridiculous."
Damian grinned.
"Tell me about it."
Soon, they said goodnight and headed toward their respective rooms.
The moment Damian entered the master bedroom, he collapsed onto the enormous bed.
The events of the day replayed through his mind.
The museum.
The villa.
The money.
The BMW.
Everything.
It felt like a dream.
A very strange dream.
Just days ago, he had been lying in an alley questioning his existence.
Now he owned a mansion and a luxury vehicle.
The contrast was unbelievable.
Yet one thing remained unchanged.
Tyler Dale.
Damian's eyes slowly narrowed.
The humiliation.
The betrayal.
The beating.
He hadn't forgotten.
Not even for a second.
The system had given him an opportunity.
A chance.
A path forward.
And he intended to use it.
No matter what.
Ding!
A familiar notification suddenly appeared.
[Host Progress Evaluation Complete]
[New Daily Tasks Will Be Issued Tomorrow]
[Continue Advancing Toward Perfection]
Damian smiled.
Tomorrow.
Another step forward.
Another opportunity.
Another reward.
As sleep gradually claimed him, one thought remained firmly planted in his mind.
The old Damian Carter was gone forever.
And the new Damian Carter had only just begun his rise.
- Writer
