Stocks (2)
I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.
These were the words of history's greatest genius, Isaac Newton, right before he lost most of his fortune in the stock market. The fact that a man who laid the foundations of physics said something like that really drove home just how terrifying stocks could be.
Of course, physics and economics are entirely different fields, so there's some allowance for that. But that's precisely why Newton's words carry even more weight and acclaim.
Plus, a lot of people tend to see stocks as gambling. And honestly, that's not entirely wrong—nobody knows how the world will turn. A thriving company can suddenly crash, a cartel and major shareholders might collude in a scam, a terrorist attack could hit, and so on. Even entire national economies like Korea or Japan can collapse, leading to wild volatility. That's why you have to keep tabs on the geopolitical situation. In other words, read the newspapers religiously.
And so, during lunchtime, we all decided to head to the stock exchange together. Right on time, everyone gathered.
"Come to think of it, you're from a duke's family, right? Doesn't your duke mess with stocks?"
Antonio asked Grace with no ulterior motive—just pure curiosity.
Grace glanced at him sidelong, then replied in a calm voice. "Stocks are just a small part of it. Profits depend on what minerals come out of your territory or what grows on the land you've invested in."
"Land's the real key, huh."
From ancient times to the present, real estate has always been a powerhouse for influence and wealth. The wider your territory and the richer its resources, the greater your power. Grace's family, the Berche Ducal House, had secured a massive granary region in the empire, giving them both political clout and financial might.
"By the way, Sivar."
"?"
"Are you really planning to blow all that money?"
Grace, having tallied up the checks, turned to me. The reason for her question? The checks clutched in my hand.
I'd withdrawn a whopping 1 million silver coins from the bank—equivalent to about 100 million won in modern terms. Carrying that much cash around would've been a nightmare, so I'd opted for checks instead. I'd split them into 100,000-silver increments for diversified investing.
Oh, and when I swung by the dorm to grab my account book, Lize was out.
"Just let him be. He's got a stubborn streak a mile wide—once he sets his mind to something, good luck changing it. And he probably has zero sense of money anyway."
Kara answered in Grace's place, her tone half-resigned. When I'd told the bank I wanted to withdraw 1 million in checks, Kara had tried to talk me out of it nonstop. Worried I'd lose it all, or that I needed to think it through ten times over, and so on. But I'd brushed it off and grabbed the checks anyway.
This was me playing it safe, actually. If I'd said I was investing every last coin, she would've dragged me away kicking and screaming.
Kara had held back only because it was under the guise of "experience." If I'd gone for 3 million, she'd have called Lize and Lord Sherman on the spot. And then I'd have lost my chance to make bank forever. I'd planned this out too, in my own way.
"Besides, with his skills, he could earn 1 million easy. Just hunt down a few tough monsters in the forest and call it a day."
"True, when you put it like that."
As Kara said, a few hunts in the Chaos Forest would rake in the cash quick. Just a hassle. Plus, with my territory marked out, hauling byproducts back was tricky.
"But Luna."
"Yes?"
"You're really buying the same as Sivar?"
Grace followed up, questioning Luna next. While I was counting checks, Luna was meticulously tallying individual silver coins. She wasn't broke like Jane, but the Chaos Forest lockdown lately had probably tightened her belt.
"Yeah. Same as Sivar."
"Hmm. Any particular reason?"
"Reason...?"
Luna trailed off, glancing my way. I could guess what was on her mind. But she couldn't spill it outright. So she shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a feeling. Intuition?"
"Intuition... So you trust Sivar? It's his first time too, right?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm..."
Luna's answer was as straightforward as it gets. Grace shot me a sidelong look. Even she, who'd picked me as her guard, seemed skeptical. Fair enough—I'd think the same. No way to explain it right now, so I kept my mouth shut. Hoping no weird misunderstandings pile up.
"Don't come crying to Sivar to take responsibility if you lose it all later. Got it?"
Kara issued a light warning laced with threat, eyeing Luna's sunflower-like trust. Looked like she was worried Luna might hit me up for cash if her investment tanked. Money made her prickly, even with friends.
"No worries there. If you can't trust him, just pick the same as Sivar, sis."
"..."
But Luna flashed a confident smile and fired back boldly. Kara flinched instead. She shot me a complicated glance. Trusting me aside, this was hard to swallow. No solid reason to.
Still, Tatar stands to gain big, so she won't mind. Better if Kara picked something else, actually. Could drag politics into it. Buying up merchant stocks right before magic stones are found? Controversy city. "Coincidence" might fly, but Tatar didn't have that trust level yet. I'd confirmed as much last time.
"...I'll handle my own. We can decide after seeing today."
With money on the line, even Kara played cautious. She started sneaking peeks at me. No reason for it, but the vibe screamed lack of faith. Meanwhile, I had zero thoughts.
"Alright. That's the academy stock exchange. Bigger than you thought?"
"Makes sense—right next to the bank, given the purpose."
"So that's the stock exchange."
The academy's exchange wasn't huge. Sure, it drew talent from around the world, but it wasn't the capital's madhouse. Small compared to regular ones, but fully equipped.
Hum of voices—
Hum of voices—
Hum of voices—
Stepping inside confirmed my hunch. No computers here—just people crunching numbers. Lunchtime bustle rivaled a marketplace. Students in uniforms dotted the crowd here and there, like us.
"Alright, you're on your own from here. I'm off to buy."
"Here's hoping you crash and burn."
"Haha! Fat chance! To the moon!!"
Antonio ignored Grace's "blessing" with brimming confidence. Knowing his picks' future, I pitied him. Just don't come begging me later.
Anyway, time for me to check. I turned to the stock board.
Hand-writing it all on chalkboards, huh.
A few massive boards, prices updated hourly by hand. Explains the crowds. Clutching my checks, I stared intently. Scanning for my target.
Normally domestic and foreign would be separated, but at the United Academy, stocks were sorted by nation—finding it was a chore.
Decent volume too—they're putting real effort in.
If this place collapsed during the academy crisis, the world economy would wobble hard. Demons knew it too—blew this building first. The thought hit me; I turned from the board. My memory said a demon magic circle lurked here somewhere. But in this throng? Needle in a haystack.
Tough to cause a scene here anyway.
One slip and I'd be banned for life. I'd hold back on that front. Plenty of time left anyway—not a one-time visit.
"No way! A sudden crash like that? What the hell happened?!"
"Sorry, sir. You saw the news—terrorism in Santia right now..."
"Give me my money! My money, now! Raaah!"
Hm. Someone's stocks turned to confetti. The guy screaming for principal got dragged off by guards quick. Routine stuff, apparently—folks glanced, then back to business.
"Each nation's got its vibe. Oh, there's ours."
Kara, scoping the place, pointed one out. A sandy-colored board, uniquely. Matra Empire stocks on white, Granada on black. Smart—color-coded by country for easy sorting. Slick design.
"Tatar has stocks too?"
"Yeah. All stocks, huh. Familiar names everywhere."
Kara marveled at the Tatar listings. Hector had pushed finance reforms, but it'd barely registered for her before he shipped her off to the academy. Time to learn now, maybe.
While she browsed, I headed straight there. Obviously Tatar.
"Huh? Sivar. Hold up!"
"?"
"You investing in our country?"
Kara grabbed my wrist as I moved. I nodded—what's the issue? Her face twisted in complication, urging reconsideration.
"Not the best pick. Tatar's a newborn nation with a shady history—high returns, sure, but stability's crap. Barely anyone's buying there, see?"
She gestured. True—other sections teemed, Tatar empty. Made sense: fledgling state, ugly past. Hector'd scraped together foundations, but outsiders saw it teetering. Hector falls? Civil war. All related stocks to trash.
"Buy."
But I knew the future—didn't matter. Tatar wouldn't crumble, no matter what. Not even if my affinity with Kara tanked. Trade routes alone rivaled the Silk Road.
"Why? What caught your eye?"
"Tatar. Kara's country. Right?"
"Uh? Y-yeah."
"So buy."
Couldn't say I knew the future. Hey, magic stone mine incoming on your turf—how to phrase that?
My blunt reply shook Kara's green eyes. Complicated mess inside. Then she smirked, gently cupping my cheeks.
"Aww. Aww. Always picking the cute moves. Fine, got it. If you take a hit later, big sis'll sort it out with you."
She kneaded my cheeks like dough. Her grinning face radiated solid trust.
As my face got mushy, I spotted Grace behind her. Worried sick, gnawing her thumbnail. Frustrated look too.
Not investing in Matra, maybe? Plausible. Matra boasted top stability. Capital flocks to safe bets. Even advanced Santia dipped from terror and outlaws.
"Alright, let's buy. Like I said, I'll cover losses. This once?"
"Yeah."
"Sis, just so you know, trusting Sivar never backfires."
"You're ignoring losses on purpose."
"Huh? Why?"
Skip Luna's injustice today. I smirked inwardly, heading to the empty Tatar desk.
"What to buy..."
"All."
"Pardon?"
"All."
I dumped roughly 100 million won, all into Tatar stocks. Clerk gawked at the bold move, face dubious. Asked if I was sure, repeatedly. I nodded firm each time. He issued the securities skeptically.
"Sivar. This all we need, right?"
Luna had hers too, showing me the unfamiliar papers. Trusted me, but still uneasy.
"Yeah. Trust."
"Heeheehee."
Grinning bright, already high on future riches. Better enjoy now—hard times ahead. I comforted her silently, eyeing my securities.
"You actually bought. Don't cry when it's gone."
Kara sounded worried, not expecting the follow-through. Then, as if struck, she whispered.
"Wait, no... Crying might not be bad... Hug and comfort then..."
"No cry."
Why cry? No reason. Kara panicked, caught hearing. Cute flustered face.
Meanwhile, I glanced Granada way. Antonio buying his pre-picked flops.
"Him."
"Huh? Who? Antonio?"
"Yeah. Comfort him."
Tell Kara to console Antonio instead. She looked baffled. Whatever—Antonio beamed, dreaming profits. That face'd drown in despair soon. Every pick a dud.
"Dude, you really bought Tatar? What were you thinking?"
Shortly after, beaming Antonio caught wind. Normal reaction—Tatar risky newbie, low stability despite returns.
"High returns. Kara said."
"...Look, friend. Stocks aren't gambling. Buy stable ones."
"Big money."
"Ugh... Do you. I'm out."
Antonio shook his head, giving up. Most reactions negative, save Luna's trust.
"Heh. Just gotta cash in now."
"How much'd you put in?"
"Whole month's allowance."
Her month's allowance? All turned to trash.
And my paper securities? Skyrocketing.
"Uh... friend?"
"?"
"Could you spot me some cash? You made a killing."
"No."
Freeloading? I shut down his begging cold. No surprise—expected it. Just focus on the gains.
"See, sis? Trust Sivar and rice cakes appear from nowhere."
"Guess that's the wild instinct for real."
"Maybe he has a wild heart. Jumped in just hearing 'high returns.'"
Luna too—big enough win to coast months. Kara's homeland hit the jackpot with the mine, ballooning her investment. Win-win all around.
"Heard? That guy's raked in a fortune investing."
"Why Tatar though? Tight with the Tatar princess—insider tip?"
"Nah. Sudden discovery, they say. Just friends helping out."
"Friends close enough for that kinda money? Something's up."
Ignore the whispers reaching my ears.