1 Sweet Tooth

"Do you believe in fate?"

I couldn't help but smirk a little after hearing that question.

How interesting.

Fate.

The fantastical concept that every single action, occurrence, and outcome in this world was the end result of a pre-determined course of events. It is often linked with the concept of divine inspiration, inevitability, and the powerlessness of human intentions to alter said script.

"What do you think?"

I smiled cynically at the questioner.

He stayed silent and pursed his lips before glancing up at me again.

"What about destiny then?"

"Aren't they the same thing?"

I stared at him for a moment before turning away and walking towards the French window that looked over the city.

I picked up a glass of red wine from the table and slowly brought it to my lips.

I took a sip, letting the red liquid wash over my pearly white teeth while I tried to savour the texture.

"Mmh. It still tastes bitter."

I put the glass down and took out a coin from my breast pocket, twirling it around with my fingers.

"I always thought that success would taste sweet."

I looked down at the city outside the window.

"Turns out I was wrong. It's clearly bitter."

The sky was obscured by a thick white haze, while the ground was covered by a thick sheet of snow.

It had been snowing for a while and even the roads were clogged up.

A feeling of melancholy and solitude seemed to permeate the entire city, but the bleak and deserted view didn't affect my mood at all.

"Uncle Mark, you surely didn't drive all the way here in this weather just to discuss philosophy with me, did you?"

I turned back to look at the man in front of me.

Haggard looks, sunken cheeks, and dark circles under his eyes.

His figure was but a mere shadow of the man he used to be.

"I- I need your help. I need to borrow some money."

I gave him a gentle smile before flipping the coin I had been playing around with.

'Heads'

The smile on my face widened further.

"I really do not believe in things like fate or destiny."

I flipped the coin a few more times before snatching it from the air as I walked towards him.

"After all, that would undermine all the efforts I have put in to get to where I am now."

I picked up a piece of paper from my desk.

"That would mean that the death of my parents was nothing but a cruel joke of the cosmos."

I flipped through the document before placing it down in front of my uncle.

"However, it's not like the irony of the current situation is wasted on me."

The middle-aged man picked up the document with shaky hands as he slowly leafed through the pages.

"Thirteen years ago, around a week after the funeral of my parents, we had a similar conversation in your office."

The hands holding the document started to tremble a little more violently.

"The company stocks had crashed and all the shareholders ran away with the money."

My father's older brother seemed to have aged 20 years in just an instant.

"The family mansion and the rest of my inheritance were taken over by you, for 'safekeeping' purposes."

He put down the contract and stayed silent while gritting his teeth.

"All that was left to my name was the empty shell of Venenon Industries."

He looked at me with equal parts rage, equal parts frustration, and a few parts resignation.

"You had offered me a very similar contract back then."

He replied in a hoarse voice "You want me to sell you back the company?"

I continued to smile gently at him and placed a cheque next to the contract.

"Let me return the words you had said to me back then."

I walked behind him and leaned forward, whispering right into his ears.

"Even if the company doesn't have any value left to it, there are some things that should only be held by those who deserve it."

I handed a ballpoint pen to the man and patted his shoulder.

"Remember to sign all the pages."

He looked at the pen in his hands and then back at me.

"I wouldn't say that I didn't see this coming… or should I say, just as expected of you 'Venomous Snake' Nathair Venenon."

"Haha, it's a cute little nickname that I have been given. Business is a world where only the cold-blooded and ruthless survive. You taught that to me personally uncle dearest."

The man just scoffed before bending down to sign the contract.

He passed the document back to me and turned to leave.

"Don't forget to take the cheque uncle."

He turned back, his face red with anger, but he quietly picked up the cheque and left the room without uttering a single word.

There were none needed.

I picked up the wine glass and took a sip again.

It didn't really matter that success tasted bitter.

Revenge...

was so much sweeter.

And I have a massive sweet tooth.

I glanced at the window again to see my reflection staring back at me.

My gentle smile had long warped into a crazy twisted grin.

I licked my lips that were stained red with wine and let out a light chuckle.

13 years.

It had been 13 years since I lost my parents at the age of 13.

Back then I had lost it all.

But now.

I had won it all back again.

"Maybe it really was fate… just kidding."

I shook away the silly thoughts and turned my attention back to the present.

Now that I had completed my revenge, I needed to plan what to do next.

Hmm, maybe I should try to become the richest man in the world?

Or maybe join a political party and try to run for president?

Hmm, choices… choices…

For the time being, I should just focus on growing the company and increasing my realm of influence.

After deciding on my current course of action, I decided to waste no time and opened my laptop to start working on my next project.

…

"What's this?"

Lying on the keyboard was a white envelope adorned with golden patterns.

I ripped it open and found a letter inside.

…

(To Nathair Venenon,

Dear Student, Congratulations!

You have been selected as a potential hero candidate by the Yggdrasil Hero Academy.

It is our honour to mention that you have been enrolled under the Salvation Project.

The rest of the details will be briefed to you once you arrive at campus.

We have high expectations about your future prospects.

Wishing you the best of luck

'Heros victor evadet')

…

'Is this some kind of prank?'

Before I could figure out the origin of the letter or make heads or tails of this strange situation, the letter exploded with bright white light, blinding me as I lost my consciousness.