kscans

Chapter 230 - Episode 22: Part One Multitasking

"Senpai. We’ll be home soon."

Mia’s voice woke me inside the carriage. Outside the window, I could see a long wall with a large gate at its end. For a moment, I wondered where home was. That’s right. I was returning from the Chancellor's Office. I had discussed standardizing transport with Giverny of the transport guild and exchanged information with Volker about preparing to issue bonds. I must have fallen asleep in the carriage on my way back.

"Sorry. Um, what’s next."

"At home, Dalgan-senpai and the others will report on the bond sales. Senpai, I…"

"Oh, right. Okay."

I slapped my cheeks to steel myself. At least this would be more relaxing than talking to dukes and marquises.

◇◇

Everyone was already assembled at the grand ducal residence. They were the original members of Central Garden. It gets confusing because everything is named Central Garden, from the new city itself to the company that will manage its operations. I suppose the latter is Central Garden, Inc.

"Well then, let’s begin."

Mia took the lead. The topic on the agenda was who to sell the urban development bonds to. Since the goal is for these bonds to be converted into stocks, it concerns who will control the city. The royal family must naturally be the principal shareholder. The Grand Duchess Bertold’s family will come next, followed by other noble houses and merchants. The question was how to handle Central Garden, Inc.'s share within this structure.

The futures market to be established in the new city is the entire reason for Central Garden, Inc.'s existence. The city, which began as a military base, will sell off its warehouses and other assets, and Central Garden, Inc. will manage them, paying rent from its operational profits.

Considering the new city's purpose and its future prosperity, we want as many merchants to participate as possible. But the thought of managing it all gives me a headache. Well, it's a relief we have the time to scheme like this beforehand.

First, everyone reported on the parties they had approached and their reactions. Normally, this is the kind of deal where people would say, "This is obviously a scam, thank you very much."

But the list Dalgan and the others spread on the table was filled with many check marks.

"It seems more merchants are interested in the bonds than we anticipated."

"Yeah. We spread the word to companies we know and cities we do business with. It’s supposed to be a shady deal, but it’s got a lot of pull. An unusual amount." Dalgan said.

"I thought the gambling types would be interested, but it’s not like that at all. It’s the people who are usually extremely cautious…" Rilka said.

"Yes. Everyone wants a piece of a Vinder project. No. They’re desperate to get involved somehow." Sherry said evasively. I am being treated like a dot-com company during the IT revolution.

"There was quite a bit of jealousy directed at us, after all."

That is so unreasonable. If the people in this room hadn't been here, the kingdom would have been in serious trouble. We would have been completely and utterly checkmated by this disaster. The painful part is that I can’t say we aren't checkmated now.

"Vinder has become too important for anyone to touch." Sherry shrugged.

"Just so we’re clear, all my positions in the kingdom are temporary, and I’m just a merchant…"

"Do you think there’s any merchant who rides around in a carriage bearing the crests of a grand ducal house and the royal family, with a knight escort?"

Who is this person who flaunts such glory and splendor, only to be sent to the guillotine the next moment. From a self-preservation standpoint, it’s beyond absurd. It's like riding a tiger, wasn't it. Power that doesn't fit the vessel. I'm overleveraged.

"It can’t be helped. Being envied for making a profit is inevitable for a merchant. So let's get back on topic."

"Yes. Please do."

I nodded at Plural’s words.

"It might be better to raise the price of the bonds a little. No, we should raise it. That lowers the interest rate, right?"

"Yes, a rise in the bond price signifies an increase in credit, while a fall signifies a decrease. The interest rate is inversely proportional to that. For example, if the price of a bond redeemable for one hundred gold coins is eighty coins versus ninety coins, their respective…" Mia explained. The interest burden will decrease, and more people will likely want to convert them into new city stocks in the future.

"It’s certainly easier to understand when you put it like that. Lately, money has started to look like just a bunch of numbers to me."

"I know, I always thought money was something more concrete…"

The characters for finance mean "to melt money." Finance is the system for making hard currency flow freely to where it is needed. That's why its nature is so close to that of information.

"That is a good trend." Mia nodded like a teacher.

"No, no, Mia. It’s dangerous."

"She’s right. We’re already dealing with amounts of money that feel divorced from reality."

Rilka and Sherry looked troubled. We are doing all this work for practically no commission, justified by the national crisis and our role as members of Central Garden, which will one day take over the new city's management.

"That’s assuming we survive the disaster. When I think about where we’ll end up…"

"We originally got together just for a mock shop at the academy festival, you know. That felt like a big deal at the time, but…"

"Wait, that’s strange. I can’t really remember it."

Rilka and Sherry shivered.

"And besides, this knowledge we’re handling right now. This itself is just incredible, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you’re right."

It felt like we were all on the verge of being consumed by the dark side. Perhaps a Rothschild-like dynasty might emerge from one of these families in the future. The knowledge is worth that much. No, that would be decades, maybe a century from now.

Assuming human society is still around by then.

"Stop. You can think about that after we overcome the disaster and get the city up and running." I interjected. This is no time to be dreaming of such a golden future. If we fail, we lose everything. Not just us, but all of human society. And that possibility is growing very high.

In this situation, stimulating the economy through finance could backfire, accelerating the speed of destruction. If information travels fast, so too does crisis.

In other words, I could be the cause of the disaster’s damage spreading. One could argue it doesn’t matter if we’re all going to be destroyed anyway, but I can’t be that detached.

"Even with strong interest, the amount we need to raise is huge. We don’t have much time, so let’s get this solidified."

"You’re right. We need to sell them as widely as possible. If they’re going to be used in place of gold coins, we have to avoid too much concentration. We still have a lot of work to do."

"Agreed."

"R, right, you’re right."

The members all nodded at each other, looking as if they had forced themselves to swallow something unpleasant. In a way, things are going smoothly considering what we've gotten ourselves into. They are all truly reliable. That means the problem lies with the lab…

I turned my thoughts to the window. The efficiency of the purple magic generator is improving at a snail's pace. Our stock of crimson Magic Crystals is dangerously low. Is it because I wasted too much? Maybe Alfina went out of her way. No, Alfina should be at the mansion now.

I’ve confirmed with a negative Magic Crystal that crimson Magic Crystals can be charged with purple magic, and Fulsy’s Antenna will provide an objective evaluation for selecting where the Magic Insects will attack. We’ll have to deal with at least two different types of purple Magic Vents when they appear, but that's a problem for a little later.

I’ve asked Alfina to coordinate with Euphillia to expand carriage production beyond Bertold. We’ll have to give up Vinder’s rights to it. We need a massive number of highly efficient transport carriages produced, no matter what.

No, I was thinking about the lab. Noel’s circuit boards are coming along well. The seconded staff seem to be getting used to the new methods too. We can expect help from the Empire for mass production, right? If our two nations’ technologies mesh well…

But we don’t have a shadow of the new model sorcery staff needed for mass production.

"...and that’s how it is. The biggest risk is... Hey, Vinder."

Someone suddenly shook my shoulder. I came to my senses and saw Dalgan and the others looking at me.

"Huh? Um, were we talking about the Magic Crystal inventory?"

"Hey, hey, like we’d be involved in something like that."

"...Of course not. Uh, my apologies, what was it?" I asked, feeling ashamed.

"It’s about controlling the percentage of the bonds we’ve collected that returns to the national treasury as taxes." Mia said. I noticed something like a yield curve drawn on the room’s slate board.

"Vinder. Just how much work are you juggling? This bond issue alone is a monumental task."

"Y, yes, that’s why I have all of you... Mia is very capable. And you know, Dalgan-senpai, you said before that I was making Mia work too hard…"

"There’s the lab too, right?"

"T, that too. Um, well, we have a star-studded lineup, so I basically just provide the ideas... Alfina-sama is also helping with coordinating everyone…" I said, stammering.

"How is it, Mia?" "..."

Rilka and Sherry looked at Mia, ignoring my words.

"Objectively, it’s undeniable that the burden is concentrated on Senpai. Your sleeping hours have been decreasing recently, haven't they?"

"No, I’m not the only one."

"By the way, what did you have for breakfast this morning?"

"Uh, um, what was it again?"

"..."

I'm not the only one working hard. Everyone from the king on down is running themselves ragged. Prince Craig, the crown prince, stood on the front lines against the Magic Insects, even getting injured. Fabius and the others are still in direct mortal danger, flying back and forth between the wyvern territory and Maldras.

Compared to them, my burden is nothing. What's more, I’m in a position where I could nullify all their efforts. I, an essentially average person armed only with knowledge from a past life.

"In any case, the basic information sharing is complete. Please leave the rest to us, Senpai." Mia said. I nodded, pushed by everyone's stares. She was right. Confusing commerce and the lab like I just did is a dangerous sign. At times like these, I need to get organized before I think.