The daily routine of a big corporation chairman runs nonstop.

Every time I blink, documents pile up, and I have to quickly assess whether the contents are relevant to current trends or beneficial for the company.

I sift through hundreds of documents in a single day, sometimes needing to recall details from reports I saw one or two years ago.

I couldn’t just leave this work to my assistants or subordinates. The documents that reach the chairwoman have already been filtered and are essential matters only she needs to know.

Amidst these busy days, Regalia took a moment to relax and fiddled with a gift sent by her subordinate.

‘This is a self-defense item made by the Scientist, huh?’

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary watch, but according to the Scientist, it contains a barrier strong enough to block even the abilities of a typical villain in a single strike, along with features to subdue such villains.

With her knowledge and common sense, she couldn’t fathom how those functions could fit in such a tiny watch… but she brushed it off lightly; after all, the Scientist often works beyond the bounds of reason.

Although the design was a bit lacking, Regalia smiled as she strapped the watch onto her wrist and returned to paperwork.

“Chairwoman? You’ve received a letter.”

“Oh… has that time come already?”

While working, Regalia checked the letter at her assistant’s words. It was an invitation.

A party where representatives of the major corporations from each city gather.

An invitation to the Royal Party.

It was an event she dreaded the most.

As Regalia read the date, location, and precautions of the event, her expression soured. There was a new point at the bottom that hadn’t been there before.

‘…Attend with a partner?’

A phrase that made her sigh, but she couldn’t ignore it. Skipping such events meant falling behind trends. No matter how much of an evil corporation Evil Corporation was, alienating itself from other big businesses wasn’t wise.

In the end, Regalia pondered whom to take to the party.

The problem was that she had no one suitable to bring.

*

“A party?”

“Yeah, a party.”

There’s supposed to be a party for the upper class. A gathering where the wealthiest representatives of each city mingle—essentially, a world set apart just for them.

Hearing that such a party exists, which I’d only seen in movies or dramas on Earth, I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe. It hit me hard that the girl standing before me was indeed one of those tycoons wielding power over the economy of this world.

“Scientist. You’ll be my partner.”

“Me? I don’t even know what to do at a party.”

“That’s fine. I’ll explain everything. You’re my most trusted subordinate, after all.”

Hearing my boss say that, I couldn’t hide my surprise. Partner, me?

Sure, I graduated university and am a somewhat cultured citizen, but I wasn’t specialized enough to play the role of a tycoon’s partner. Even if I learned related knowledge, acting the part would be a stretch.

It’s like no matter how hard a modern person studies medieval nobility, they wouldn’t be able to pretend to be an aristocrat if thrown back into the Middle Ages—my only knowledge of what partners do in high society comes from  TV.

However, after my boss’s next words, I couldn’t turn down the partner role.

“If not you, I was thinking of asking Galm or Aile…”

“I’ll go.”

Hearing that the candidates were either muscle-bound beasts or awkward losers who would get stomped on among the tycoons, I readily accepted the partner role.

I’d rather cause a stir myself than let those two go and create chaos that would be impossible to clean up.

‘Look at the talent pool of the evil organization… How is there not a single person to bring to this party?’

Then again, it would be odd for any talent to be found in a villain organization capable of attending an upper-class party. Villains typically came from the paths of criminals, losers, or those rejected by society, after all.

If anyone had the refinement to mingle with the upper crust, they likely wouldn’t have taken the path of villainy in the first place.

“Is there anything I should prepare?”

“Hmm, do you own a suit?”

“I have a few, but…”

“No, not those off-the-shelf suits. Do you have a tailored one? …Doesn’t seem like you do. Kitty?”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

With a snap of her fingers, Regalia called her assistant, staring at me like a judge pronouncing a death sentence.

“—Take him.”

“Understood.”

“Uh, wait—?”

I quickly got dragged along by the assistant and fitted for a tailored suit, learning the proper etiquette for upper-class parties, what foods were acceptable and what weren’t, the names and backgrounds of the company presidents attending, and who to talk to and who to avoid.

I crammed more knowledge than my brain could handle, feeling like my head might explode. Even now, I could barely recall what companies some of the presidents operated or how they were related to my boss. I hated memorizing this type of stuff…

By the time I finished memorizing everything, all that was left was to prepare for the actual event.

The day of the Royal Party for the upper class was approaching.

*

“Faster, faster!”

“I told you to skip that dish; it might trigger allergies!”

“When are the heroes arriving!?”

At A City’s A Hotel.

This hotel, known for its motto of never losing its composure and showing true hospitality, was incredibly busy today.

If anyone knew the identities of the guests visiting the hotel today, they’d react just like the staff.

“The chairpeople are arriving! We must not disappoint them!”

“This is our chance to show that our A Hotel is on a whole different level from others!”

Today, the Royal Party, where the top chaebols from various cities were gathering, was set to take place at A Hotel.

Each one of them was a giant, practically someone you’d expect to see  on TV, and if you added up their wealth, you could easily purchase half the world—a joke that didn’t feel at all like a joke.

It should go without saying that the staff, merely hotel employees, had every reason to be nervous.

Once again, a car pulled up at the hotel entrance.

“Hmm—so this is the hotel…”

“Do you have any bad memories?”

“No, the hotel’s fine, it’s just… the owner had some pervy tendencies.”

After stepping out of the vehicle, Regalia entered the hotel with the assistance of Eight, who guided her in. An employee rushed over, bowing to both of them.

“Welcome. I’m Begel, and I’m honored to serve you today. Lady Regalia? You’ve come with your daughter. The banquet hall is this way.”

“No, Lady Regalia goes this way. I’m the partner.”

“Y-yes?”

The hotelier looked back and forth in shock between Eight and Regalia. Seeing the expression on the hotelier’s face, Eight nodded in understanding.

Regalia is a teenage girl. She certainly doesn’t look like someone running a major corporation—one would think she’s the head of the corporation and that Regalia was merely her daughter.

Moreover, due to her unusual situation of managing a company at her young age, she keeps her face and identity discreet. Given that, it’s only understandable for the hotelier to confuse them as the daughter and mother duo.

Still, that doesn’t mean the mistake was acceptable.

“I-I’m so sorry!”

Once the hotelier realized their mistake, they immediately bowed down in apology. Eight looked toward Regalia, as if asking what was to be done. Regalia, however, ignored the hotelier and strode inside without wasting a moment.

As if mindful of the blunder, a different staff member quickly attached themselves to guide them to the banquet hall. With one mistake already made, the employee was extra cautious in their manner.

Upon arriving at the banquet hall, treated more like hazardous materials than guests, the eyes of those already waiting turned all at once towards them. Eight couldn’t help but exclaim.

‘Wow, I feel like there’s some predatory aura all around…’

Could they truly be the giants ruling this world? Their gazes felt reminiscent of the look Regalia had given me when I first fell into this world, but not quite as imposing.

Regalia oozed an overwhelming presence, making it clear she knew exactly who she was. The powerful young giant had led a major corporation smoothly at such a young age, and her aura quickly swept across the banquet hall.

Only then did the people’s earlier intensity die down, and they approached slowly.

“It’s been a while, Lady Regalia.”

“Chairman Eden. It has been a while.”

“How goes your business?”

Regalia shed her typical villainous demeanor and greeted those approaching with a tone befitting her youthful age.

While it felt strange, I couldn’t just focus on her alone. As the conversation between the two chairpersons deepened, Eight found itself caught in an utterly incomprehensible discussion.

About how to control this year’s economy, regulating grains for export to neighboring countries for profit…

I left Regalia to that, naturally heading toward the area where all the partners of each company’s chairpersons, the underlings, gathered.

It was only Regalia who was peculiar; the other partners that the chairmen brought were their successors—their direct children. Without any awkwardness, the heirs were chatting away like they had known each other forever.

“I’m looking to invest in the semiconductor company—”

“How about investing in AI instead? This time, strong AI is…”

“That’s already too much of a bubble. The odds of it rising higher—”

Escaping from an encounter with a tiger only to find myself facing a lion: Eight realized the heirs were chatting away like true successors and began snacking aimlessly.

Perhaps it looked too pathetic to be left munching alone, as a woman in a revealing dress stealthily approached to talk to him.

“Bored, are we?”

“Uh? No, not really.”

“Ha-ha, lying. It’s written all over your face.”

The voluptuous woman wearing an eye-catching dress made her way next to Eight, who instantly felt the warmth of her body brushing against his suit.

As she leaned her weight onto him, she began speaking.

“I’m Rize. What’s your name?”

“Raemon.”

“Raemon… that’s a charming name.”

After casually revealing the fake name he typically used, Rize repeated his name several times, as if savoring it. Watching her, a shiver crept down Eight’s spine.

“We seem to be of similar ages, why don’t we drop the formalities?”

“No thanks.”

While Rize attempted to cross not just physical but also psychological barriers, Eight recalled reading about her a few days prior. She was the heir to Baphomet Corporation, the largest company in B City. It was clear why she approached him.

Having no relatives, the fact that Regalia brought a fully grown man would pique her curiosity. Was he a potential boyfriend for the young chairperson, or a successor to take over the company?

Sadly, he was neither. He was merely an executive of the evil organization run by Regalia—a scientist. But of course, he couldn’t disclose this to her. So instead, Eight started looking around for a way to express who he was.

‘—Found it.’

Turning his gaze to the grand piano tucked away in a corner, Eight gulped down the wine in his hand and headed towards it.

Revealing his identity wasn’t something Regalia would like, but being here and doing nothing while hiding who he was would also be problematic. After all, people couldn’t suppress their curiosity, especially those with power.

Before they create undue trouble for themselves, it’s better to be the first to reveal who he is.

“Hold on, just a moment.”

“…Where are you going?”

“You’ll see.”

Eight headed straight for the piano. No musician had arrived yet, leaving the piano vacant, and he took a seat, opening the keyboard cover to loosen his fingers.

Do Re Mi. The sound of keys resonating forced the surroundings to focus their attention on him. Meanwhile, memories of the music theory lessons during his college years surged back to his mind as those countless scores swam within.

‘There’s no Mozart or Beethoven in this world.’

So the selection was set.

A genius composition that had never appeared in this world.

Mondscheinsonate.

─♪ ♩ ♪ ♪ ♩ ♪ ♪ ♩

The sound of the piano rang out. The crystal-clear notes drew the heads of the chatting chairpersons toward him at once. The unexpected music, though unfamiliar, struck their ears with perfect harmony.

The chairpersons’ eyes were captivated; despite being well-versed in classical music, they’d never heard this piece before.

And Regalia was no exception.

‘Scientist!? What on earth are you doing…!’

Seeing Eight suddenly performing on the piano, Regalia internally gasped. He only needed a partner, not to cause a scene—just sitting quietly by her side would have sufficed…

Why did he have to stir up trouble?

Though she wanted to scold him hard, Regalia kept quiet. In a place so filled with watchful eyes, showing intense emotions would only expose weaknesses.

And above all—stopping him wouldn’t work, as the tune floating through the air was far too beautiful.

“…It’s gorgeous.”

Eden, conversing with Regalia, murmured in admiration. He looked at Regalia with envy and whispered.

“I thought you brought a young lover, but it turns out he’s an artist friend?!”

“…I wanted to keep that a secret.”

“I completely understand. I would have wanted to keep it secret too. Such a piece… it’s so remarkable, it feels like it should be kept to oneself.”

Eden expressed his gratitude to Regalia for sharing the song.

And in this moment.

They simply focused on the music.

The chairpersons, who were always preoccupied with thoughts, were now entranced, swept away by the melody being created by Eight’s fingers.