Chapter 153: The Flies That Swarm to the Smell of Money (3)
Chapter 153: The Flies That Swarm to the Smell of Money (3)
When you read old folk tales, you eventually come across a man named Im Sang-ok.
Even if you don't know his name, you'll likely know his story.
It’s the tale of how he went to the Qing Dynasty to sell the red ginseng that Joseon was so famous for, only to find the Qing merchants conspiring to buy it at a pittance, far below its actual value.
The day before he was set to leave, Im Sang-ok set the red ginseng on fire.
The Qing merchants, who faced execution if they failed to secure the ginseng, ended up buying the remaining stock at full price before it all turned to ash. They say Im Sang-ok even got paid for the ginseng he had already burned.
The lesson?
Don't be greedy.
If a person is too greedy, they invite disaster; and if you let yourself be exploited by the greedy, they’ll keep exploiting you forever.
That story came to mind.
Seeing those bastards trying to buy up magic stones while the prices were down, I decided to put that old tale into practice immediately.
Of course, red ginseng and magic stones are different.
High-quality red ginseng came from Joseon, making it virtually the only supply route. Magic stones, however, can be obtained by anyone who enters the Fermaton Infinite Labyrinth.
So, what was the actual effect of me setting them on fire?
None.
In reality, it was a pointless gesture with zero economic impact.
Yet, there was a reason I did it anyway.
Just because.
I simply wanted to perform the spectacle of burning magic stones.
‘It’s not like those bastards are going to start liking Ruji just because of this.’
Even if I set them on fire right now, people would never think well of Ruji Fermaton.
‘But what about the future?’
In the distant future.
It would be recorded as an anecdote of Ruji Fermaton.
When the price of magic stones plummeted, Ruji Fermaton bought up the market supply and burned it to drive the prices back up.
And so, prices stabilized for a time, and the merchants and laborers were able to breathe a sigh of relief.
‘It’s all to build up my reputation as a benefactor.’
If I had to make up a reason, that was it.
‘Zenith said it was a good performance to raise the price of magic stones by reducing the circulation, but that’s going to be difficult.’
I had destroyed the stones, but the price wouldn't go up.
Was it because the buyers were holding out?
Because the greedy were being even greedier?
No.
It’s because even if you piss on your frozen feet to warm them, if you’re in the middle of the Siberian wilderness, that moisture only increases the risk of frostbite.
‘Does a crashing stock go up just because you pour more money into it?’
The price of magic stones was going to tank.
It would keep dropping until it reached a new "average."
No matter how many I burned.
Because more magic stones were being produced at an even faster rate.
"It might look like we're burning them, but even more magic stones are being circulated in the market as we speak."
Even as Laura and Yoanna put on their performance of destroying the stones by setting them ablaze.
—Wait, is the price of magic stones going to go up now?
—Then I should sell the ones I have!
—I don't have any... let's go get some!
In the end, human greed is endless, and they repeat the same mistakes.
"Ah, ah. Young Lord Ruji Fermaton has a message."
Laura held up a voice-amplifying magic tool and shouted to everyone in the plaza.
"Young Lord Ruji Fermaton requires a massive amount of magic stones. The County of Fermaton is currently purchasing them regardless of quantity, so anyone looking to sell, come to Fermaton!"
Fermaton was buying up all the magic stones.
Fermaton was trying to secure the entire market's supply, even at a loss.
"Foolish humans. Do you really think I’m going to take a loss?"
Not at all.
The magic stones being burned were a type of "necessary expense."
In my business, it was the minimum overhead required to buy up magic stones in bulk.
Others would wonder.
What profit is there for Fermaton in buying magic stones in such quantities?
—It’s for your benefit.
—Ugh, Fermaton...! You kind-hearted but perverted suckers...!
Anyone who thought that didn't know me at all.
‘The reason red ginseng was expensive wasn't just because ginseng itself was pricey, but because they used it to create something new.’
If magic stones were simply a product of the primary industry...
I was going to use those stones to create a secondary industry—"processed magic stone goods"—to make money.
Of course.
Naturally, the ultimate goal was to find the Mythstone, currently code-named "Three Circle."
And since I couldn't afford to lose money like a dog while searching for it, I had to make it profitable for us.
"Now then, shall we begin the serious business talk, Charlotte?"
"...Very well."
The head of the Nine-Tail merchant guild and slave trader, the dollmaster Charlotte, had been invited to the office. She picked up the "processed magic stone" sitting in front of her.
"So, this is..."
"A new kind of magic stone created by melting down magic stones into liquid mana, then hardening it into a specific shape."
This was Fermaton's new cash cow that they knew nothing about.
"The Breast-Shaped Magic Stone."
There was no need to beat around the bush.
"By pouring molten mana into a breast-shaped mold and hardening it, you get a very aesthetically pleasing magic stone."
Would people buy this?
Of course they would.
‘In a world where breast-shaped mousepads sell like hotcakes, there’s no reason breast-shaped magic stones won't sell.’
Where there is demand, there is supply.
"Charlotte. I’m sure the Empire is intensely interested in Fermaton's Dark Jeanne, right?"
"Of course. That’s why we at Nine-Tail are buying up magic stones in bulk as well."
Listen.
The "ants" outside, hoping for the price to drop while watching the magic stones burn, knew nothing.
"Only those in the know will understand the true value of this stone. Most will be distracted by the breast shape and never realize its actual worth."
"It’s obviously... not just a pretty magic stone."
"Exactly. Since it’s multiple magic stones condensed into the shape of a breast, its 'output' is on a different level compared to conventional stones."
If the ones currently on the market were "mid-tier," the ones I had created had at least "high-tier" output.
And the ones burning out there in the plaza were the lowest-tier stones.
"Charlotte. Was there ever a technology to synthesize magic stones before?"
"...No, there wasn't."
"Right. Surprisingly, the 'common sense' was to just sell magic stones exactly as they were found."
I had shattered that common sense.
"Young Lord. How did you melt the magic stones?"
"That’s a corporate secret."
"Will you tell me if we have sex?"
"Your value is too high to trade for something like that just for sex, but if you want it, I’m willing to tell you after a very intense session."
It wasn't anything special, really.
"Fine. I’ll just settle for smuggling these new Breast-Shaped Magic Stones from Fermaton into the Empire. I’ll give you all the low-grade stones Nine-Tail has in stock. Turn them all into Breast-Shaped Magic Stones for me."
"It won't be a 100% conversion. Right now, the yield is only 69%."
If you put in 100 low-grade stones, 31 are wasted, and a Breast-Shaped Magic Stone is created with the mana equivalent of the remaining 69.
One day, I would research and research until it reached 74%, 89.2%, and eventually 99%.
"Still, isn't a 69% yield quite efficient? You can carry in this one small Dark Jeanne what would normally take a whole wagon to transport."
"Honestly, even a 30% yield would be extremely efficient from a logistics standpoint."
As long as there were no trains, transporting magic stones produced in Fermaton meant wagons and carts spreading across the continent.
"To be honest, if it weren't for this breast shape, this would be nothing short of a 'Magic Stone Revolution'."
"The Magic Tower said the same thing. But because the stones look like this, everyone will be slow to catch on."
While we reaped the rewards, people would just look at the Breast-Shaped Magic Stones and think, 'That pervert Ruji Fermaton is doing some weird shit again.'
By the time they realized that "weird shit" was actually a high-value-added new industry, it would be far too late.
"This is why a reputation is so useful. While the world looks down on me as a perverted idiot, I can seize as much power as I want."
"I mean, you're obviously not an idiot, but aren't you actually a pervert?"
"......What if even that is just image-making?"
"I don't think so."
Charlotte’s blunt remark left me momentarily speechless.
"Fine. Then I’ll be both a pervert and an idiot. If the world wants to see me as a sucker and a moron, I’ll use that to rake in massive amounts of money."
In the end.
The winner would be me, Ruji Fermaton.
"Charlotte. I’m putting out an announcement in a week. At the Dream Factory."
"What now...?"
"Let's put it this way. From now on, I’m going to strip those ants of every last bit of spare change in their pockets."
* * *
The magic stone "executions" continued day after day.
If you asked directly, "Is the price of magic stones going up?" the answer was no, but there was definitely a trend of prices rising due to the expectation that they would go up.
"If I sell my magic stones now, I’ll definitely make money, right?"
"But I’d like to get a bit more if possible..."
"Fermaton is buying them all up like suckers. Surely they won't change their policy overnight?"
But when humans get greedy, they always want more.
The desire for money.
The lust for gold was a desire shared by everyone living in Fermaton.
"Hah. There are so many things to spend money on, it’s awkward to do anything with just magic stones... Huh?"
However.
"Dream Factory Announcement: For the time being, we will accept magic stones as payment alongside cash...?"
Sometimes.
"...Wait. I can get two dream-tugs for just one magic stone?"
Humans are bound to be drawn to more primal desires.
"Hey! The Dream Factory is taking magic stones!"
The lust for money sometimes loses to the lust for sex.