Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate!

Nana, Kai-senpai, and my mother all looked at me in disbelief after hearing what I had just said.

"I already promised the two of you… so just accept my help." I told them with a warm smile.

"That's right. Natsuki-san is ridiculously wealthy, even though he's completely hopeless with wom—ahh, I mean, he's generous to everyone!" Envi quickly corrected himself, speaking stiffly, clearly trying not to say anything strange again.

Nana and Kai exchanged a glance before turning back to me.

"But Uncle, a hundred million yen is just too much… and we're still complete beginners at this. We're not even sure we can manage a café properly," Nana admitted, sounding uncertain.

"That's true, Natsuki-san," Kai added with a worried expression. "Even though I've studied business management for several years now, I still can't say for certain that I can make it a success right away."

I chuckled softly at their concerns and then replied, "You don't need to worry. Money isn't a problem for me. I own multiple businesses overseas, all of which are still running successfully. I'm also an investor, and I know the potential you two—and this place—have."

I felt a pang of guilt for lying to them. There was no way I could tell them the truth—that the money all came from quests I had completed in another world.

Both Nana and Kai looked a little puzzled by my confidence.

"Nana," I continued, "you have a great sense for aesthetics. I'm certain you could transform this gloomy place into something beautiful and inviting. And you also love desserts and coffee—you could even create new recipes with your skills. That alone would raise the quality of this café to another level."

I remembered how Nana used to experiment with making delicious desserts whenever inspiration struck her. Everything she made was genuinely good—she had inherited our mother's talent for cooking. Even during the period when she suffered severe trauma and shut herself away at home, she still found herself creating wonderful coffee recipes.

I had tasted everything she ever made. It was the kind of flavor you'd expect from someone talented but never given the opportunity to work in the field they loved.

Nana had forced herself into an office job, but I was certain her real dream was to work in a café. That became even clearer when I suggested that she and Kai open one together as their own business—she had been so happy at the idea.

I smiled at the memory, but Nana suddenly looked startled by my words.

"Uncle… how do you even know I'm passionate about this?" she asked suspiciously.

I froze inside. I had let that slip without thinking. I wasn't supposed to say too much—I couldn't let her know that I was actually Nao, her dead brother, reincarnated.

Through telepathy, Envi scolded me, "You idiot, Nao! You have to be more careful, damn it!"

He quickly jumped in to cover for me, saying to Nana, "Ah, well… Natsuki-san heard it from Naki."

I nodded in agreement. "That's right! I asked Naki a lot about all of you, hahaha!" I tried to keep my tone casual, though I was far from calm.

Relieved, Nana seemed to accept the explanation.

"Alright, let's continue," I said, turning to Kai. "I also know you have a passion for management. At your previous job, you held a strategic position, so I have no doubt you have the capability. I believe both of you can run this café successfully." I looked at them with full confidence.

They still seemed unsure, until my mother spoke up. "I believe in you too. Nana, I know more than anyone that this is what you've always wanted. You've sacrificed so much for our family. Now it's time for you to finally work in a field you're truly passionate about."

Nana's eyes welled up. "Mother…" she whispered.

Kai then held Nana's hand firmly. "I'll always support you, Nana. As your future husband, I'll make sure we take this opportunity and make the most of it." He was starting to sound more confident.

Slowly, Nana nodded, strengthening her resolve. They both seemed to have made up their minds.

"Alright, Uncle," Nana said firmly. "We'll accept your investment. In fact, we're deeply grateful that you'd be our very first investor. But we want to make it clear—we'll steadily grow our profits and pay you a percentage every year according to the contract we'll prepare."

"We'll even guarantee to quadruple the café's income by next year," Kai added with confidence. "And we'll offer a moderate option with a 3% ROI."

I looked them both in the eyes and asked, "Alright… are you sure?"

Nana squeezed Kai's hand, and he returned the gesture. They both nodded with determination. "We're sure!"

Seeing their confidence made me fall silent for a moment. I was genuinely happy to see how much they believed in themselves. I smiled and gave them a small round of applause.

"Impressive. I trust you both. But I want to make a revision—forget the hundred million yen. I'm going to invest one billion yen. And I want an aggressive option with a 7.5% ROI. What do you think?" I said, testing them one last time.

"One… ONE BILLION YEN?!" Nana and Kai were completely stunned.

Even my mother looked like she might faint at the number. Runa quickly caught her and helped her stay steady.

Envi spoke up, "Haha, that's just a fraction of Natsuki-san's wealth. He can earn that much in just a month." Runa nodded in agreement, backing him up.

This time, Envi was actually helping to convince them.

"Incredible… you're amazing, Uncle!" Nana said in awe.

"But… why raise it all the way to one billion?" Kai asked curiously.

I explained, "You'll need to rebrand, maybe expand the café or open a new branch. You'll also need funds to hire more staff once your business grows. And since you're in the heart of Tokyo, that amount makes sense—you'll be competing with many similar businesses here. Don't worry, Nana, Kai… I'm confident you can handle it."

The two of them went quiet, clearly moved by how much trust I was placing in them.

I put my hands on their shoulders and said, "Let's sign the contract."

"Yes, Uncle… thank you so much," they both replied, tears streaming down their faces. It was a mix of joy, gratitude, and hope.

…

After signing the contract with Nana and Kai, I immediately transferred the money to them.

They still couldn't believe they had actually received such a massive sum.

Without wasting time, they took over the café and scheduled their next meeting to plan the new concept with the staff.

It was something they never expected to happen so quickly, but they handled it well. I was proud of them.

By then, it was already 6 p.m.—just over an hour left before my time in this world would end.

Soon, I would have to return to Aetheria.

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