Chapter 67
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67
A sky of piercing blue, with white clouds drifting over a boundless horizon.
Golden sunlight bathed the city streets and buildings in a brilliant glow. This was Pentaport, the five harbors of the Meteor Archipelago. Among them was the port city of Stella, which boasted a direct connection to the Union.
It was the very same place where I had admired the stunning night view while having dinner with Eleina.
Originally, Stella had been a mere fishing port used to transport supplies to the underworld and various other outposts. However, following the large-scale subjugation of the Dark Archipelago and the establishment of the Union, it had expanded significantly, growing into a proper city.
As I arrived near the docks, a nostalgic sea breeze swept past, and the bustling, vibrant atmosphere of the port washed over me.
Sniff, sniff—
“Hehe. What a wonderful scent. It’s been quite some time since I last visited.”
“Lord Roen, why have you brought us to a place that reeks of fish?”
“……”
The same location, yet two completely different reactions.
I was out on a weekend excursion with a rather unusual group: Garfield, a specialist in trade and commerce, and Ciel, my bodyguard and personal secretary.
I had brought Garfield along because I thought his trait, [Golden Grace], might prove useful in our dealings. Ciel, being a powerful fighter, was there to ensure our safety in case of an emergency. I also wanted to treat her to something delicious, as she had seemed incredibly overworked lately.
“We’re here to make money today. I’m thinking of making an investment.”
The one billion Krone Eleina had given me—I planned to use it as seed money to play the market.
“Oho. If that is the case, then I may be of some assistance.”
At the word “investment,” Garfield cleared his throat and stepped forward. The field of investment was one of the few areas where Garfield, a business administration major, could truly shine.
“Thank you. I’ll ask for your help if the opportunity arises.”
“Ah, but I cannot use my family’s authority in any transaction. I apologize, but it is against the rules.”
“I know.”
Garfield, who had not yet formally begun his training as an heir, was under a restriction that prevented him from using the Morty family’s influence in business. Borrowing the name of the Morty family—one of the continent’s three great merchant associations—would certainly have opened doors, but what I needed was his trait, not his background. It didn’t matter much to me.
Ciel, who had been listening to our conversation in silence, finally spoke up.
“An investment? Do you intend to use the money you received from Lady Eleina?”
“Yes. Where else would I get that kind of money?”
“...You are aware of the significance of those funds, are you not?”
“Of course I am. Don’t worry, I won’t waste it.”
The old Roen would have squandered the money on some harebrained scheme and lost it all, but not me. As Ciel said, this was a token of Eleina’s sincerity—money earned through the blood, sweat, and tears of the Izelin students. It was precious to me as well; there was no way I would let it go to waste.
I had already done my homework using the underworld’s information network.
“……”
Ciel hadn’t completely erased the suspicion from her eyes, but she seemed to accept it for now. It was likely due to my recently reformed behavior.
I checked my new wristwatch and pointed toward the port’s restaurant district.
“It’s not time for the spice market to open yet. Let’s find a café and talk.”
*
After wandering through Stella’s restaurant district, we found a café with a pleasant atmosphere and enjoyed some sweet desserts. Even Ciel, who had looked a bit grim earlier, seemed to relax after sipping her bubble tea. As for Garfield, he loved to eat, so his mood was never in question.
“So, Lord Roen, where do you plan to invest?”
“The Lombard Merchant Association. They primarily focus on maritime trade with the New Continent, dealing in spices and other specialty goods.”
“Hoh, a good eye. I am familiar with the Lombard Merchant Association, as my family trades a few items with them. The head of the association is quite capable, and they are connected to a branch of the imperial family, so they enjoy the Empire’s protection. This keeps them free from various disputes, making them a low-risk investment. How much do you plan to invest?”
“Half of what I have. About 500 million Krone.”
Hearing my words, Garfield stroked his chin and nodded slowly.
“It is a large sum for a student, but in absolute terms, it is not a staggering amount.”
500 million was no small change, but as the scion of the Morty family—one of the three great merchant associations that dealt in trillions—he didn’t see it as a massive fortune. There was also the fact that I was the son of the Devalis family, a great house of the West. He probably assumed I could procure such funds without much difficulty.
“What is your target profit?”
“The more, the better. And the faster, the better.”
“Hmm. In that case, how about investing in a smaller merchant association and helping it grow? The risk is high, but you could see a massive return in a short period.”
“Nothing uncertain. This money is important. Besides, that would be too much work.”
Nurturing a merchant association sounded interesting, but as a student who had to stay at the academy, it would be difficult to execute. It wasn’t impossible if I set my mind to it, but I had too many other things to worry about. It was low on my priority list.
“...To want guaranteed high returns in a short period. Such a thing does not exist in this world, Lord Roen.”
“I agree.”
I agreed with the statement itself. But that was a general rule—one that didn’t apply to me, at least not right now.
“It’s fine. I have solid information. This time, I plan to profit from both the rise and the fall.”
“High-level information... That changes things. May I hear it?”
“Of course.”
I took a sip of my coffee and began to lay out my plan in earnest.
“Late this coming April, the Lombard Merchant Association’s ships will stop by the spice-producing regions of the New Continent before arriving at Stella Port.”
“Mm. I have heard as much. However, according to rumors, the profits from this voyage are not expected to be good. I heard several misfortunes have piled up. If you’re going to invest, the timing is poor.”
“That’s exactly it. The rumors are the problem.”
At my statement, Garfield’s eyes widened.
“Surely you don’t mean... someone intentionally spread those rumors?”
“That’s right. It’s information manipulation.”
I nodded slowly, lost in thought. This was a common occurrence, from the Age of Discovery when the East India Company was founded and stock trading became active, all the way to the modern era. It was even more prevalent in an age where it took time for information to spread between continents and it was difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.
In that sense, the era of the Myrillin Saga was the perfect time for market manipulation through false rumors. Although the telephone had been invented, it was only used in limited areas where advanced technology was concentrated, like the Union or the Magic Towers. Even broadcast magic couldn’t reach across the vast ocean.
“By turning this to our advantage, we can make a fortune. What do you think, Garfield?”
At my proposal, Garfield considered it with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
“Hmm... If what you say is true, Lord Roen, then your claim that you can profit from both the rise and fall has merit. The prices of the four major spices in the Meteor Archipelago—pepper, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg—have skyrocketed due to these rumors.”
The current situation was that rumors were circulating about problems with the New Continent’s spice harvest due to a drought. To make matters worse, several ships carrying the goods were said to have been lost in a storm. This implied a massive disruption in the spice supply, so it was only natural for the price of spices already on the market to soar.
But this is intentional information manipulation.
It was true that there was a drought in the New Continent, but it was confined to a few regions and didn’t affect spice production. The Lombard Merchant Association’s ships had indeed encountered a storm, but none had been shipwrecked.
This meant that, contrary to the rumors, a large supply of spices would arrive as scheduled, and the inflated prices in the Meteor Archipelago would soon crash back to normal. I planned to use that situation to make money.
“Are you planning on futures trading?”
“That’s right. I’ll bet half my money on the fall of spice prices, and with the other half, I’ll buy the currently undervalued Lombard Merchant Association stock. And I’ll screw over the bastard who spread the false rumors while I’m at it.”
It was a foregone conclusion that the inflated spice prices would normalize, so I would bet on their decline through futures. Furthermore, buying Lombard’s stock at this point was the same as buying an undervalued blue-chip stock at its absolute lowest point.
“I see. An excellent plan. If it succeeds.”
Ciel had been listening to our conversation with an intrigued look. She sucked up the last of her bubble tea and looked at me.
“I must admit, I’m a little surprised at how much you’ve prepared. But ultimately, the source of the information is what’s most important in an operation like this. Where did you get your intel?”
At Ciel’s sharp question, I shrugged and evaded the answer.
“That... is a secret.”
How could I tell them it was something that had already happened in the game? As I hid my source, Ciel looked at me with suspicion once again. I could only give an awkward smile and avert my gaze.
As the atmosphere grew tense, Garfield smoothly intervened.
“Well, surely Lord Roen wouldn’t have laid out such a grand plan based on a mere delusion, would he? Why don’t we trust him and leave it to him for once...”
“One should only trust those who are trustworthy.”
“Ah, I see.”
Garfield nodded as if he understood for a moment, then hastily glanced at me and added, “O-Of course, I trust Lord Roen. Ahem.”
“...Even if they’re just empty words, I appreciate it.”
I shrugged and finished my drink. It seemed Garfield and Ciel were done with their food as well, so it was time to move.
“Let’s get going. The spice market should be open by now.”
*
The spice market in the Meteor Archipelago was quite large for its resident population. This was because the archipelago was located between the Old and New Continents, making it a frequent stop for intermediary traders.
As we arrived at the spice section within the bustling market, a sharp, peculiar aroma pricked my nose. Beneath dozens, even hundreds of tents, colorful spices were packed into sacks—from garlic and chili peppers to pepper, which accounted for the bulk of the trade volume.
We strolled through the crowded market and headed for the Bellatea Merchant Association, the largest and most reputable spice merchant in the area. As we neared their headquarters, a trader belonging to Bellatea, who had been dealing spices at a nearby tent, appeared.
He looked over our attire and greeted us warmly.
“Welcome! Oh my, you’re students from the Union. Are you here from the cooking club?”
He seemed to think we were here to buy ingredients for a class, so I slowly shook my head.
“No, we’re here for futures trading.”
The merchant gave an awkward smile and asked again.
“Aha, you must be from the investment club then. Right this way. May I have your name?”
“Roen Devalis.”
“Aha, student Roen Devalis. Oh, Devalis? Roen...?”
The merchant, who had asked for my name without much thought, felt his expression gradually stiffen. As if to confirm his suspicion, I added:
“That’s right. I’m the very scoundrel you’re thinking of. Now, take me to the association’s manager.”