Ahhhhhhh~ I noticed the reply on the other thread but.... yeah... I'm still patient so I'm not too upset. Considering the circumstances too (the reshuffling), I really am not ready to change my stance on the venture over such a trifling matter once everything is considered and pondered.
As a quick assessment, this chapter is really not that bad to be honest. While it is not the chapter I was hoping, it certainly is not a disappointment either.
This illustrates several things that are also done in the LN to "humanize" Runa. It just makes it illustrated. This also potentially highlights certain aspects that would have made as a contrast to differentiate what happened to "Current Runa" and "Game Runa".
First off, this just goes to show that Runa-chan is also quite willing and motivated to use her own power for "selfish reasons". It highlights the altruism shown when Runa used her own fortunes in a net-loss moves to shore up Japan's financial institutions from financial ruin. This in turn saves quite a lot of people. So for her to spend the fortunes needed to save a classmate's family business just so she can keep said classmate as a friend is really a "greedy play" with her power.
As and aside... some might argue that her movements to buy up the financial institutions on her play to save the economy will just land her with more power. This is just an assumption however. She has used her own fortune's growth to buy up failing institutions to make sure they do not fail. This is totally counter to the usual workings of investment in which these places are actually motivated by outside forces to fail so they can snatch up the good pieces for cheap. Not only that, she had to take out a loan from the government through the MOF and BoJ with the "Special Loans". She is basically taking out a loan to save a failing bank. That does not make any logical sense to do if you follow the conventional wisdom and motives. But when the end goal is to save Japan (and those immediately around her) from experiencing the resulting pain and suffering... well, that's not conventional at all no?
It just so happens that in the future, outside factors and influences will make it so that she'll be able to buy back these assets from the government by using that condition of being able to bid for these assets later on when they are up for sale. Like holy crap, the amount she had to pay to buy back the assets they held is literally almost a steal. To the point where the opposition are accusing everyone involved of corruption lol. So yeah... this altruistic move paid out in massive magnitudes because of other circumstances and events.
Second, the chapter shows that Runa-chan is still a child in body and that certain childishness is still something that pervades her life. Taking (and actually following through) nap time and engaging in tomfoolery at such a level when dealing her Mio's bullies... It goes to show that even if she is "a mature adult" in mind and "knows the future", it doesn't fully define her with just that kind of labels. She is still Runa. She might be odd and very unlike many children, but she is not at the level of "inhuman" for those around her. She can still laugh, cry, and engage in "normal" things and even socialize and make friends. She is still a "child". That is a good thing.
Thirdly, this fully establishes the "Core friends" that Runa has. Her inner circle so to say. As pointed out, she might not have been able to capture her initial goal of going into that kindergarten but she came out of it with something even better. Friends that accepts her in all her glory and eccentricity.
This leads to the other point I want to make and point out to people.
The game Runa and current Runa are different. Not only would game Runa wouldn't have been able to set up the Moonlight Fund and independently secure herself from the main family, she most likely wouldn't have been able to go to Academy because of the lack of will to go against the main family.
Remember that the Main Family was initially not willing to let Runa go to the Academy and it is only through persuasion from the house staff that it happen.
Also it can be presumed that game Runa grew up as a "normal child"... a bit lonely because of how isolated she is from the main family and most likely treated as an outcast because of who her parents were and what happen there. her household would have eventually collapsed and she would have been taken back in as an unwanted child by the main family....
With the current Runa, things are different from her game counterpart. At this point in time, she has managed to avoid that financial crisis (that would have undoubtedly came to pass on game Runa's life) and she also manage to establish her inner circle of friends. Alongside with other changes in her life (thus far).
Also in terms of history, in practical terms, they follow the general course of "real world" history with changes being affected by Runa that deviates from it...
I mean, I can see the simple switch of "Conglomerates" that rose up in Real Japan vs "Zaibatsu" that still lived on that is centered around the "Noble Class" and their families.
Anywho, I think I wrote enough. I can just feel my thoughts drifting further and further.
I liked the chapter and still am eagerly awaiting the next chapter proper!
Thank you SSS + GN for the work! I hope your restructuring goes well!
And you are 100% right on the slush fund scandal. It's HILARIOUS when I first heard of it and I immediately thought of the same thing.
Wow, you've just guessed how Chapter 11 would go. I wouldn't say which, but one of your points will be discussed mainly in that chapter.
As far as I'm aware, Runa in the Game was able to go to the elite school too, even without her accumulating a lot of assets like Runa. This is probably because of her bethrodal with Teia.
Anyways, I really loved your point about how her "selfish" motive plays out though her saving firms, and I do love how the seemingly filler chapters are able to drill Runa's characterization and motivation to save what she holds dear.
Also, Runa acting like a child of her age is quite cute no matter what, and it sets her character apart from a lot of reincarnated protagonists.
On the slush fund issue, it's really like "The more things change, the more they stay the same", especially in Japanese politics where the LDP just reigns post war, though a prime minister (that readers of the LN would recognize) did critique the party during this scandal.
Wow, you've just guessed how Chapter 11 would go. I wouldn't say which, but one of your points will be discussed mainly in that chapter.
As far as I'm aware, Runa in the Game was able to go to the elite school too, even without her accumulating a lot of assets like Runa. This is probably because of her bethrodal with Teia.
Anyways, I really loved your point about how her "selfish" motive plays out though her saving firms, and I do love how the seemingly filler chapters are able to drill Runa's characterization and motivation to save what she holds dear.
Also, Runa acting like a child of her age is quite cute no matter what, and it sets her character apart from a lot of reincarnated protagonists.
On the slush fund issue, it's really like "The more things change, the more they stay the same", especially in Japanese politics where the LDP just reigns post war, though a prime minister (that readers of the LN would recognize) did critique the party during this scandal.
Oh for sure she is able to get into the elite school (grade school or maybe middle school onwards) because it would be quite odd for a game's villainess not being there because she's not able to afford it/not have enough clout to do so. I was referring more to how she wouldn't have been able to even given leave to do so at a kindergarten level. Why spend dwindling resources on a venture that is not really needed over what is essentially a "black sheep" of the family?
Uhhhh... Part of the reason of it is because of the Betrothal to Teia-kun. If I remember right (LN wise), the whole thing was speared and done after Nakamaro-oniisan died on 9-11 since he was in the twin towers during that time. After his death, Runa was thrust into the prima position as heiress while also leaving Runa without allies (it is implied that her own personal household collapsed and the maids + Tachibana was reassigned elsewhere) due to the fact that it was only really Nakamaro who cared for Runa in a genuine way (due to an old promise/flame that he held to Runa's mother).
This also made the "Far East" (russia) mobilize their Intelligence agency to tap that old connection of what Runa represents. This basically set up the background circumstances on her "fall". Also why that certain detective/director gets involved at the game's downfall. It is implied that she was kept afloat (and the family in proxy) because of the Far East's meddling and involvement. This also allowed her to act like the heiress of a zaibatsu and throw her "weight" around in the game even when the Keikain family is in dire straights.
In terms of the engagement... I highly speculate that part of it was a genuine attempt to get out of the Far East's influence and affection for Teia-kun himself. Well... the downfall happen in the game so we all know where that ended.
I did so many points that I actually do not know lol I can certain guess but I won't know until I see it lol
Runa-chan is a complex character that is not a simple one/two dimensional that is very basic in her actions and characterization. She isn't a Naruto in which the Talk-no-Jutsu is a character defining trait that the world bends around to accomodate to being successful. Don't forget that she is a character which (as a child) offered herself up as a trophy wife if it means getting her own personal household in order (amongst other things). She is a character that will, in the future, do dealings that will make her.... well...
She is very real in terms of her context. She definitely has some simple and easy to understand tenants on her life. If she sees something wrong and someone personally begs her to save them, she will. She also has the personal experience of living through the circumstances of the financial falls and other events in history and will do her best to either mitigate them or stop them completely. She fails in one. The Towers still burns to the ground. At least her Onii-san didn't die.
There is nothing in the world that bends unbelievably due to a narrative that the author wants to push or a forced conclusion because of a notion that "this is how it should be because its Runa". If there are things that happen, it happens logically with a sense that it isn't a Deus Ex or a Bullsh-t handwave.
It really tickles my brain that constantly think on the works I consume. It delights on works like Modern Villainess (while it is horrified by 1:39 Male Ratio's world. I do not think the author even realized what they made) and loves such things.
I've talked enough. I can feel that my brain is satisfied and I can feel that my thoughts are now drifting while focusing more on the WAN Show that is on the background while I type this out.
Huh. I didn't really tap too closely on RL Japanese politics. Didn't know that. GG Koizumi.
It goes deep, but you'll understand it soon enough. It's written by the same guy as Spice and Wolf, so he knows how to communicate financial concepts to the public.
