Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk.

"President Shiraishi, we'll take today's information back to the branch office to organize it. We'll contact you again if we need any additional information later."

Seiji Shiraishi seemed to snap out of his daze and nodded reluctantly.

"Thank you both for your hard work."

As he was leaving the meeting room, Seiji Shiraishi was stopped by an employee who said that a client had called and he needed to confirm something.

Chihaya Yuri went to the front desk first to confirm the photocopies of the documents with the general affairs staff.

Kiryu Yaya was a step behind, standing at the end of the corridor organizing his briefcase.

Just then, a very soft sound came from behind.

"Kiryu-san."

Kiryu Yaya turned around.

Ayako Shiraishi stood on the other side of the corridor.

She clasped her hands together in front of her, her fingertips clenched tightly, as if she had hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

There was no one around.

The noise from the shipping area was kept out by the heavy fire doors, leaving only the low vibration of the cold storage compressor.

"Could I... take a few minutes of your time?"

Kiryu Yaya nodded.

"can."

Ayako Shiraishi lowered her head and spoke very softly.

"I couldn't say a word in the meeting room today."

She managed a weak smile.

“It’s clearly my family’s company, and my father works so hard, but I’m just sitting there listening to you talk about shares, pledges, financing, and Mr. Kuroda saying he wants to demolish the cold storage.”

Her voice slowly choked up.

“I know that banks are not charities, and I also know that you and Section Chief Chihaya have no obligation to help us.”

Kiryu Yaya did not interrupt her.

Ayako Shiraishi looked up, her eyes slightly red.

"But Father really didn't start White Stone Refrigeration for the sake of land prices."

"To Mr. Kuroda, the Dojima Cold Storage might just be a piece of land. But to my father, it was half a lifetime of hard work. And to the employees here, it's where they work every day."

She paused for a moment, as if she had finally mustered all her courage.

"Kiryu-san."

"Please help my father."

The corridor fell silent.

Kiryu Yaya looked at her but did not answer immediately.

In that instant, a semi-transparent interface suddenly popped up in front of him.

[New life options have been triggered]

[Ayako Shiraishi, fearing her family business would be swallowed up by outside capital, made a request to you.]

She was unclear about the boundaries of bank due diligence, nor did she understand the risks involved in a €500 million financing round.

But at this moment, she has placed the last vestiges of hope for her father, Shiraishi Refrigeration, and Dojima Cold Storage on you.

At this moment, you have three choices.

[Fork in the road 1: Maintain distance from the bank employee and calmly tell her, "Ms. Shiraishi, please trust that the bank will make its judgment according to procedure."]

(Reward: Bank deposit increases by €1 million, nothing happens.)

[Branch Two: Without promising a loan or appealing to sympathy, simply tell her as a banker: You will investigate the facts, include what can be included in the report, and strive to obtain what you can.]

(Reward: Bank deposit increased by €5; Shiraishi family's trust)

[Branch 3: Holding her trembling hand, he said gently, "Miss Shiraishi, I will protect you, and I will protect Shiraishi Reiki."]

(Reward: Bank deposit increased by €10; Ayako Shiraishi's affection level increased significantly, with a high probability of unlocking a romance route)

Kiryu Yaya's gaze lingered on the third option for a moment, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

This system is as unreliable as ever.

Protecting the White Stone chiller?

How dare he, a new employee who has been with the company for less than a month, say such things in front of clients?

After a moment, he said:

“Ms. Shiraishi, I cannot promise you here that Mitsubishi Bank will definitely release the loan.”

Ayako Shiraishi's heart tightened slightly.

"This is not something I can decide on my own."

Kiryu Yaya's voice was calm.

"Banks won't change their judgment just because someone is pitiful."

Ayako Shiraishi lowered her head.

"……I see."

Kiryu Yaya looked at her and continued:

"but."

Ayako Shiraishi paused for a moment.

Kiryu Yaya said very solemnly:

"I'll try."

She slowly raised her head.

Kiryu Yaya did not avoid her gaze.

"Although we haven't had much contact, I can tell that President Shiraishi is a very dedicated businessperson."

He spoke very slowly.

Ayako Shiraishi stared at him blankly.

Kiryu Yaya continued:

“There are many companies like this in Japan. They don’t appear on the front page of newspapers, nor are they presented as impressive investment stories. Every day, they just open the door, take inventory, dispatch vehicles, answer the phone, check the temperature, confirm accounts, and confirm what customers need tomorrow.”

"It looks unremarkable."

"But the counters of department stores, the kitchens of hotels, the dining tables of ordinary people, and even the daily operation of a city are often supported by companies like these."

Kiryu Yaya looked towards the cold storage.

"The Dojima Cold Storage is not just a piece of land."

"It is the credit that President Shiraishi has built up over two decades, the reason why employees arrive at work on time every day, the reason why customers dare to entrust their goods to this place, and an invisible but indispensable node in the supply chain of Osaka."

Ayako Shiraishi's eyes reddened again.

But this time, she did not lower her head.

Kiryu Yaya withdrew his gaze, his voice remaining calm:

"Banks cannot lend money just because they feel sorry for someone."

"However, if banks only look at how much land can be sold for, but not at what a company can still produce, connect, or safeguard, then banks are just asset liquidators, no longer financial institutions that support the economy."

He paused for a moment after saying this.

"A country's economy is not supported by large corporations, stock markets, and land prices alone."

"The real foundation is made up of countless companies like Whitestone Refrigeration. They are inconspicuous, but they fulfill contracts, hire employees, pay taxes, supply goods, and maintain social order every day."

"If such a company is still alive, still has value, and still has the possibility of being saved, then finance should not just use a ruler to measure how much it is worth after it dies."

This statement carries significant weight.

So much so that Ayako Shiraishi was momentarily speechless.

Kiryu Yaya looked at her and said:

"Finance is not about making dreams for anyone."

"But the financial sector should not prematurely include companies that are still operating diligently in liquidation statements."

His voice was not loud, but it was firm.

“Ms. Shiraishi, I cannot guarantee that Mitsubishi Bank will definitely approve the loan.”

"But I can guarantee that I will investigate things that I can find out. I will include things that I can include in the report. I will fight for what I can."

"This is Kiryu Yaya's promise."