“First, you need to know what a Unicorn Company is, right?
Everyone has slightly different definitions, but in Silicon Valley, United States, a Unicorn Company is defined as a private technology company valued at over one billion dollars within ten years of its founding.
Why did they give it the name ‘Unicorn’?
It’s because the very act of a company, started by just a few people in a garage, growing into a business worth over one billion dollars is so amazing and unusual that it was likened to the mythical creature, the unicorn.
One billion dollars is about one trillion won. Such things were thought to be nearly impossible, which is why they were called Unicorns.
To prove this, before 2010, there were only about thirty Unicorn Companies in existence.”
“But the amazing thing is that these rare Unicorn Companies started appearing in incredible numbers, with over 1,200 in the 2020s.
Every economist exclaimed, ‘Amazing!’
In this age, a Startup with a value of over one trillion won is not impossible, but a success story that can actually come true in reality.”
“One interesting thing is that Unicorn Companies also evolve.
Some succeed in getting listed with an IPO, and some even increase their value tenfold, becoming Decacorns with ten horns, worth over ten billion dollars.
By the way, ‘Deca’ means ten.
So, is there no Startup worth one hundred times that, a hundred billion dollars?
There are a few, though not many. Companies with a value of over one hundred trillion won are called Hectocorns.
And who knows, maybe soon a Startup worth over one thousand trillion won, a Kilocorn, will appear.
But Unicorns don’t always evolve in a good direction.
If you don’t put in constant effort, a Unicorn Company might become nothing more than a fleeting illusion or end up barely surviving as a Zombie Company.”
“Have you heard of ‘Ubo Man Ri’? It means that, like an ox, even if you go slowly, if you keep moving forward steadily, you will reach your goal in the end. From experiencing many Unicorn Companies and successful Startups, I’ve learned that perseverance is essential.”
“One term often used in Startups is KPI. It stands for Key Performance Indicator. Startups present a blueprint of what they want to become in three or five years and strive to achieve their Key Performance Indicators every month. If you do this, you become recognized in the market, moving up from 30th to 10th place… from 5th to eventually 1st place. Such continuous growth is what gives birth to Unicorn Companies. The secret to becoming a Unicorn Company lies in unending growth.”
***
I suddenly remembered the time I gave a lecture on Earth. No matter how famous a Startup is, it never succeeds all at once.
With patience and time, as you keep growing, before you know it, you become a Unicorn Company.
It’s no different in this world. Step by step, even here, I could give rise to a Unicorn Company—or rather, a Unicorn Merchant Guild.
In our country, a Startup founded by just one person is called a One-person Creative Company.
It doesn’t have to be just one person, but refers to a group of one to fewer than five partners running a business without any regular employees.
You could call it the smallest unit of a Startup.
So, the beginning will be a One-person Creative Company… or rather, a One-person Creative Merchant Guild.
‘I’ve made up my mind. What kind of item should I use to start a Startup in this world…?’
From my memories of Earth, what kind of business would be best?
So many items flashed through my mind, and I agonized fiercely.
In some ways, this world’s science, technology, and business models haven’t developed as much as Earth’s, so I’m confident I could achieve great success in many fields.
That’s why I struggled even more to choose the right item.
‘The Startup item I’ll go with in this world is… a Company Builder!’
A Company Builder is a business model that systematically establishes and supports Startups.
A Company Builder sets up and operates several Startups at once, organically connecting them to help them grow.
‘It’s also called a ‘Startup Holding Company’ or ‘Startup Studio.’
Among the various institutions that nurture Startups, it’s the most proactive form, participating from deciding the founding item to forming the team and being actively involved in management.
“For example, there’s Buckeye Highway in the United States and Fast Field Asia in Korea.”
In this world, I will successfully blend the vast Startup experience from Earth to become the holding company of many Startups.
It’s the perfect business model for me.
Maybe because I was pulling up thoughts from Earth… drowsiness washed over me.
Brrrng!
As the tension melted away, I fell asleep. Even after I dozed off, the carriage continued to roll for quite some time.
***
“Wake up.”
With a deep breath, my mind cleared.
When I opened my eyes at Sir Richard’s words, the sunlight dazzled me.
“It was dark just a while ago.”
Peeking out, I realized the carriage’s curtains had been drawn aside, revealing a panoramic view as scenery swept by. And there, right before my eyes, stood a massive fortress.
“It’s a Castle!”
Castles come in different forms depending on their purpose, but broadly, they are divided into Castles, mainly for residence, and Fortresses (Yose), which serve stronger military functions.
A Castle is a residential and defensive facility for the ruling family and their retainers, designed to protect the surrounding territory.
The Young Lord’s Castle is surrounded by a Moat filled with water. The Moat is a kind of ditch filled with water to defend against enemy invasions.
Suddenly, I remembered when I was young, building sandcastles at the beach.
Even back then, after building a castle, I’d dig a ditch around it and fill it with seawater…
From afar, the open castle gates came into view. Even from a distance, they looked massive.
This is another world, so there can’t be automatic doors… Someone must open and close them every day as labor.
Once they confirmed that it was Sir Richard’s carriage, the guards saluted without any ID checks, and we entered the fortress without stopping.
Passing through the drawbridge, I saw a watchtower, stables, and an open yard. When we arrived at the Castle, the carriage came to a halt.
The Kip is the largest building inside the Castle, mainly used as a residence for the Young Lord’s family and close retainers.
I tried to memorize the appearance of the castle as much as possible.
A fantasy castle—just looking at it was delightful, and I wanted to observe if there was anything here that could be used as a Startup business.
“I wish I could get off the carriage leisurely and look around…”
But contrary to my hopes, I had to go straight to the drawing room where the Miss was waiting.
After waiting briefly in the drawing room, Miss Frana Bella entered with Dalton and Richard.
The Miss’s face was hidden behind a veil.
‘I’ve already seen her face before, but now it feels fresh?’
***
Miss Frana Bella sat across the table from me, with Sir Dalton and Sir Richard standing at her sides.
“So many seats, but they’re just standing…
With only her and the two knights, the hierarchical relationship was crystal clear.
Come to think of it, this is already the third time I’ve met the Miss.
A few days ago, she kicked me out just for seeing her face, and yesterday, she showed me her face in the carriage and even gave me money.
But today, I’ve been invited to the Young Lord’s castle.
It feels like we’ve gotten much closer. If brushing sleeves is destiny, then this is truly fate???
“The reason I wear a veil is personal, so don’t mind it. Did you complete the mission I gave you?”
“Yes, Miss. I faithfully carried out the mission assigned to me.”
“Ho. It couldn’t have been easy to solve the final test…”
As I was about to recount my tale of heroics, Richard spoke up for me.
“It was a bit undignified, but he’s not a fool.”
Hey, I’m right here. That kind of assessment is a bit…
“Really? If you say so, I’ll believe it.”
Miss Frana Bella and Sir Richard… Miss and knight. I could sense the deep trust between them.
“But I think it’d be best to watch a bit longer.”
Richard glanced at me and stroked the hilt of his sword. Ugh, this… narrow-eyed guy…
“Haha… As always, I’m sure you have your reasons. You worked hard on the way back too.”
Then she looked at me again.
“Sorry for the strange test earlier. I needed to verify that you’re trustworthy and intelligent.”
Honestly, I’m not sure if I completed the monthly pilgrimage… but it seems I left a good impression.
“Oh, not at all. I’m just grateful that you trust me and entrust me with things.”
What I need right now is humility.
Thud.
A leather pouch was placed in front of me. Anyone could tell at a glance that it contained money.
“This is your reward for yesterday’s commission. I put in twice the amount I gave you yesterday.”
Twenty silver! I cheered inwardly. Two million won for a day’s work…
Is it really okay to earn money this easily?
As expected, quest rewards are sweet. I started with nothing and made thirty silver in just two days.
To be honest, I was troubled by the fact that I almost died…
But when you’re troubled, nothing beats financial therapy. The Miss’s generosity made me bow my head in gratitude.
“Thank you very much, Miss. I will continue to serve you with loyalty.”
Loyalty, loyalty! I shouted inside as I tucked the leather pouch into my bosom.
“No need for loyalty. You’re not part of my family, are you? Just perform the tasks I give you with even greater diligence than sincerity.”
Yes, yes, of course. Just keep paying me generously like now.
“Your actions were reported to me by Sir Richard. The story you told was quite interesting—where did you hear such tales?”
‘From Earth…’
The knowledge I improvised with this time did come from my experiences as a unicorn on Earth, but I couldn’t just say ‘Earth’ outright, so I had to come up with a plausible answer.
“As you know, Miss, I’m from the Communal Living Area. The people who remain here… well, those who don’t have much to do often gather and swap interesting stories. But since everyone knows each other so well, the stories are usually dull. Since our lives are the same, our stories are similar, too. Unable to bear the boredom, I always asked visiting travelers or people around the village for fun tales.”
“Ho… So that’s how you learned those stories. How interesting.”
It’s half true. Pizza’s time with friends was all about idle chatter, and in those times, I really did hear many stories about the outside world.
Some were utterly ridiculous, but…
A fair amount of trivia is stored in my head.
“What left the biggest impression on you during your commission?”
I thought about my errand. Honestly, I didn’t think much happened, but for just two days, I’d experienced quite a lot.
I changed my name and left the village for the first time in seventeen years. I left the village, met the Red Beard Band.
The next day, I visited the Hero Statue and met a Bard, who gave me a hint about becoming a Cartoonist.
I solved the riddle of finding Sir Richard. And then, I rode a carriage all the way to the Young Lord’s castle.
‘Huh? Quite a lot happened… What was the most impressive?’
Everything was impressive in such a short time, but if I had to pick the most memorable…
“The most striking thing was the familiar smell.”
“Familiar smell?”
For a riddle fan, it’s only natural to answer with another riddle.
But unlike the Miss, I had to give a straight answer.
Because Richard’s hand was still resting on the hilt of his sword.
Ah… It would be more fun to drag it out, but…
“It was the smell of poverty.”
That scent most familiar to me left the biggest impression.
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