Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: A 50,000 Gold Investment
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Goldwin Merchant Guild headquarters.
The sun was dipping languidly below the horizon.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
The secretary entered.
"Miss, the head of the Silvermoon Merchant Guild is here."
"............"
Lirian didn't look up from her documents.
"What does he want?"
"He wants to propose a partnership..."
"Turn him down."
"He insists on speaking with you directly. He's been waiting in the lobby for an hour."
"............"
Lirian set her pen down.
A snicker escaped her.
"He's got persistence, I'll give him that."
"Shall I bring him in?"
"............"
She glanced out the window. The sun was setting.
"Five minutes."
"Pardon?"
"I'll wrap it up in five. Send him in."
"...Understood."
The secretary left.
A moment later.
The door opened.
A man entered.
The head of Silvermoon Merchant Guild.
A rising star of a new merchant group, rapidly expanding. Reports had come in two months ago about them steadily encroaching on the southern spice market share.
"Thank you, Lady Lirian. For making time for me..."
"Have a seat."
Lirian gestured to a chair with her chin.
The man sat. Tension was written all over him.
"So."
Lirian spoke first.
"You want to partner up?"
"Yes, that's right."
The man bowed his head. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
"If we combine the Goldwin Guild's distribution network with Silvermoon's production capacity..."
"Hold on."
Lirian raised a hand.
She opened a drawer and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
Thud.
She placed it on the table.
"Know what this is?"
"............?"
The man looked at the paper. His face stiffened.
"Silvermoon Merchant Guild's third-quarter financial statement."
"How did you get this..."
Lirian smiled.
"Debt ratio of 47%. Cash flow in the red for three months straight. Two southern warehouses already collateralized, right?"
"And you're coming to me for a partnership in that state?"
The man's hands began to tremble.
"This isn't a partnership."
Lirian leaned forward.
"You're here begging."
The man's face went pale.
Lirian snickered again.
"Hang in there another month."
"............"
"If you can still talk partnership then."
She picked up her teacup.
Slurp.
"Come back then."
"The door's that way."
The man stood. His legs wobbled. He bowed repeatedly as he backed out.
The door closed.
"............"
The secretary asked cautiously.
"What about that merchant group...?"
"What about them?"
"You're just going to leave them be?"
"............"
Lirian lifted her teacup.
"One month, and they'll collapse on their own."
Slurp.
"Then we scoop up those two warehouses cheap."
"............"
The secretary bowed her head.
"As expected of you, Miss."
The secretary left, and the door closed.
Lirian gazed out the window.
The sunset painted the sky.
"Hoo..."
She stretched languidly.
It had been a busy day.
Southern spice price manipulation.
Western mine contract review.
Eastern logistics route adjustments.
Just another day, same as always.
But.
Something felt missing.
What was it?
"............"
Ah.
Lirian activated her crystal orb.
The screen lit up.
She swiped with her finger.
Scroll.
Scroll.
She stopped.
[Instar]
She logged in.
Opened the search bar.
'Sunshine_Idler_Wolf'
She typed it in.
The screen changed.
[@Sunshine_Idler_Wolf]
[Followers: 53,284]
"..."
Even more now.
Over a thousand since yesterday.
Lirian scrolled through the screen.
Recent posts. Work clothes selfie, bread-eating pic, prototype sunglasses photo.
"......."
'This guy... lives more diligently than he looks.'
She opened the comments.
[That face is insane ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Even in work clothes, his face carries it]
[Even the sweat drops look hot, what do I do]
[Look at him eating bread with that face ㅠㅠ]
Ha.
'It's just the face.'
Lirian swiped on.
[Sunshine_Idler_Wolf Shop]
She entered.
[Sunglasses - Northern Wolf Edition]
[Price: 1 gold coin]
[Order Status]
She scrolled down.
The number appeared.
"..."
Her eyes locked on it.
[Total Orders: 50,284 units]
"..."
Fifty thousand?
Lirian blinked.
Looked again.
[Total Orders: 50,284 units]
Fifty thousand units.
"..."
Click-clack.
Abacus beads rattled in her mind.
Unit price: 1 coin.
Fifty thousand units.
Click-clack. Click-clack.
Fifty thousand coins.
"..."
Cost?
Click-clack.
Zero.
Mine heiress providing raw gems for free.
Workshop lady processing for free.
Logistics lady shipping for free.
Click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack.
Material cost: 0.
Labor: 0.
Distribution: 0.
Margin.
Click-clack.
100%.
"..."
Lirian set down the crystal orb.
Gazed out the window.
"...Insane."
The words slipped out.
Fifty thousand coins.
Pure profit.
Without spending a dime.
"..."
The man himself was the market.
Her old conclusion hadn't been wrong.
No, it was an underestimate.
Actually, that wasn't a market.
'It's a cult.'
Fanatics throwing money at his feet.
Click-clack.
The abacus spun.
Still, the math didn't add up.
How do you even calculate that?
A single wink mobilizing 50,000 coins worth of infrastructure.
"..."
Lirian leaned back in her chair.
A snicker.
Laughter bubbled up.
"Impressive."
She murmured.
"With just that face."
"To pull that off."
It used to be half-sarcastic.
Now, she had to admit it.
A man turning the empire with one face.
Then.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
The door opened.
The secretary entered.
"Miss."
"What is it?"
"I have a report."
The secretary's expression was grave.
Something big, apparently.
"Speak."
"There was an incident at the Edelweiss village dance."
"A monster attack, they say."
"A 4-meter magic beast..."
"I know."
"...Pardon?"
The secretary froze.
Lirian was still looking out the window.
"Young Master Kasian got hurt, right?"
"...Yes. How did you..."
"A merchant who lags on info is dead meat."
She said flatly.
"Got the report this morning."
"...I see."
The secretary bowed.
"His current status..."
"The Tower Lord's daughter took him personally."
"...You knew that too."
"Of course."
Lirian toyed with her crystal orb.
"Elysia von Arcana."
"Spirit King contractor."
"Tower Lord's only daughter."
"She moved herself."
The secretary asked carefully.
"Miss, by any chance..."
"Chance?"
"Do they... have some ulterior motive?"
"Who knows."
Lirian turned her head.
Looked at the secretary.
"That doesn't matter."
"..."
"What matters."
Lirian stood.
"Is that it's an opportunity."
"...Opportunity?"
"Follow me."
"...Where to?"
"The vault."
Goldwin Merchant Guild basement.
They descended the stairs. It was dark, with torches lining the walls.
Basement level 2.
Basement level 3.
Basement level 4.
They stopped.
A massive iron door stood there, engraved with a magic circle.
Lirian placed her hand on it.
Whirr.
The magic circle reacted.
Thud.
The iron door opened.
They entered.
The secretary followed.
The vault interior was vast. High ceilings, flickering torchlight.
Display cases lined both walls.
Left side: stacks of gold bars. Thousands of them.
Right side: gems gleaming. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds. Sparkling in every color.
Center: magic artifacts. Ancient relics, legendary gear. Each worth thousands of gold coins.
"..."
Lirian walked straight to the back without hesitation.
Passed the gold bars.
Passed the gems.
Passed the artifacts.
She stopped.
The rearmost display case.
A small vial sat inside a glass case.
Red liquid glowed faintly. As if alive.
Ripple.
Ripple.
"Miss."
The secretary spoke cautiously.
"That's..."
"I know."
"'Millennium Lingzhi Essence.' Worth 300 gold coins."
"I know."
Lirian opened the display case.
"Miss."
The secretary's voice grew urgent.
"The former guild master left that. For use only in 'truly important deals'..."
"I know."
"It's one of our emergency assets."
Lirian picked up the vial wordlessly.
The red liquid rippled.
Light leaked between her fingers.
"Miss."
The secretary took a step forward.
"It's too expensive."
"300 coins is a common household's yearly living expense."
"Even so..."
"Secretary."
Lirian looked at her.
"You only see numbers, don't you?"
"...Pardon?"
"300 coins."
Lirian held up the vial.
Red light illuminated her face.
"Looks pricey?"
"...Yes. Very."
"Does it?"
Lirian snickered.
"Looks cheap to me."
"...Pardon?"
"Checked the sunglass orders?"
"...No."
"Fifty thousand."
The secretary's eyes widened.
"Fifty thousand... units?"
"Yep."
"If they all sell..."
"Fifty thousand coins."
The secretary fell silent.
Lirian shook the vial.
The red liquid sloshed.
"To a man worth 50,000 coins."
"This is a 300-coin investment."
"Building a debt now."
"Costs way less in the long run."
The secretary bowed her head.
"...Understood."
"Send this to the Magic Tower."
"Yes."
"Today."
"Got it."
The secretary took the vial.
Carefully.
With both hands.
"The letter?"
"Letter?"
"Just sending medicine bare feels off."
Lirian paused.
"At least a few words..."
"...Wait."
Office. Lirian sat at her desk. Lamp light flickered, stars visible through the window.
She took out paper.
White stationery, embossed with the Goldwin Merchant Guild crest.
Dipped the pen in ink.
Paused.
What to write?
Click-clack.
Abacus turned.
'Business letter.'
'Keep it formal.'
Right.
The pen moved.
'I heard you were injured.'
She wrote.
Next sentence.
'Get well soon.'
She started, then stopped.
Too stiff?
"..."
Lirian set down the pen.
Looked out the window.
Stars shone.
Chair leg. The story came to mind.
Charged a 4-meter monster with a chair leg.
"..."
A snicker.
Laughter.
"..."
Really unique guy.
She picked up the pen again.
'I heard you fought a monster with a chair leg.'
'How brave.'
She wrote.
Her lips curved up.
'I hope this helps.'
'- Lirian'
Done.
She folded the paper.
"Good enough."
She called the secretary.
"Send this with it."
"Understood."
The secretary took the letter.
"Today?"
"Obviously."
"It's night..."
"I'll add night shift bonus for the Magic Tower run."
"...Thank you."
The secretary left.
The door closed.
".............."
Lirian looked out the window.
Stars twinkled, the moon hung in the sky.