39 – 39. Prime Example
I showed them the prime example, Anais, and even notified them that if they didn’t listen to my warning, I would delete what little property they had left.
That was the end of my business.
“Escort Lady Anais to the palace. …The rest of you, disband as well.”
Anais obediently left, but the others hesitated.
An old man without the courage to step forward himself, but urging the person next to him, “Are we really going to go like this?” A man complaining of a headache, probably from drinking a few spoonfuls of Health Syrup, and a woman sobbing with a lost expression, among others.
After I showed them Morning Star again, the investors finally started to move.
There were twenty-three people who left.
The remaining three didn’t leave and continued to stare at me, for some reason.
“Do you have something to say?”
Soon, one of them hesitantly approached and spoke. I could guess what it was about, but I decided to listen.
“Um, President Allen. Is there any talk of compensation for the losses?”
It was a question from a nobleman who became rich by selling fake Eastern-style pottery.
“Yes. This is how it should be.”
That’s why I sent Chandelier Siroop away before it was listed.
It was the misdeeds of the royal family, who could be considered the embodiment of state power, so it was natural for them to expect compensation. If the stocks had been publicly released, thousands of people might have taken collective action.
“There will be no compensation. You invested knowing the risks.”
“No, what did we know before investing? Alan didn’t even look into my soul…!”
“Why did you decide to invest in the first place? It’s because of the discussions I had with Queen Siena about the dangers of Ganjangsip. To attribute that to defamation and demand compensation from the person who invested is unreasonable.”
“I had my own opinion, not just rumors…!”
“Then did you personally try it and invest based on its effectiveness?”
“……”
“In either case, there is no situation to discuss compensation. Even if there is someone in the royal family who wants to show favor, Queen Siena will stop it with a smile. If she doesn’t stop it, I will personally petition to stop it.”
The imitation pottery looked at me with a sad expression.
“Seriously, this is too much.”
Saying that, it disappeared with a thud.
Demanding compensation after losing money may seem absurd, but this type of person was relatively less risky.
There was a truly dangerous person.
“Alan, the situation you’re worried about will never happen.”
An old man with an ordinary build. Marquis Rikias, the highest-ranking investor, approached.
Until just a moment ago, he was whining and complaining with other investors, but now he was managing his expression well. He was one of the nobles who suffered the biggest losses this time. He said he lost over 5 million talers.
He was even trying to calm my suspicions.
“Well, I admit it. I thought there was business potential. If Alan hadn’t given the warning today, I might have collaborated with the friends who just left and started a new game. Honestly, I’m not completely uninterested even now….”
“Do you have no intention of competing with me in this business?”
“hahahaha. It’s not like you can enter a fight with a predetermined outcome. … I don’t know what Ephedrine is, but how would I win? It’s a shame.”
It’s really disappointing.
Muttering like this, Hujak turned around, savoring the taste again.
At a glance, it seemed like a resigned appearance, but he had never really given up. “It’s not because I’m a good guy, but because your sharpness is frightening that I endure.” The smoke screen itself was a very typical tactic.
As the son of a swindler, I wouldn’t be unaware of that.
“Hujak, Your Excellency. If you have any thoughts of setting up a suitable puppet to conduct business, you may do so. …However, if a product similar to Gengaeksiroop appears later, I will consider that Your Excellency Hujak is behind it.”
If a second Gengaeksiroop appears, consider it your doing.
Then, Lord Rekias Hujak turned around with a bewildered face and uttered another word.
“To avoid suspicion, you should behave well from now on.”
“Are you threatening me right now…!”
“Even Princess Third Consort failed, and now you have a reason to be afraid of Your Excellency Hujak. If Your Excellency oversees, nothing will happen to other investors who might do something foolish. It’s not a difficult request.”
Hujak seemed unreal, but I sincerely meant what I said.
It’s too much for me to monitor everything. Although I might retaliate because being threatened is unpleasant, I have to endure it while selling dru*gs.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Thank you.”
As Lord Hujak left, the stock exchange became truly quiet.
“There’s still one left.”
Professor Bobby of the Department of Magic was unfolding a scene with a soulless expression.
“My money, my… money!”
He was sitting on the floor, doing a puzzle with torn stocks.
When did he tear the stocks again? And why bother to glue them back together.
At a glance, it seemed he was out of his mind, so I decided to just act like I didn’t know. With damp, messy eyes and a wide-open mouth, he was engaging in that act.
However, I didn’t forget the subtle nod he gave when our eyes accidentally met, as if acknowledging something.
It wasn’t out of pity; it was merely throwing a bait for him to find me when he completely fell apart. If he actually came, I planned to tame him and put him to good use. As a human at the pinnacle of pyromancy, he would be quite useful in potion-making.
‘With this, I’ve pretty much cracked down on all the health syrup officials.’
Busy days passed like this.
If we really got into details, there was one person left.
Mrs. Chandelier, the figurehead of ‘Mrs. Chandelier’s Health Syrup.’
In a way, she could be considered the most important person. She was the grandmother who was known as the manufacturer of health syrup and had led its success.
However, her future was already determined, even without my intervention.
Even the princess was in a precarious situation. It wasn’t hard to imagine what fate awaited a mere housemaid like her.
**
A hypothetical store selling health syrup.
Mrs. Chandelier, who used to command young maids to sell the medicine, had an openly frozen expression.
A look not commonly seen on her, who always walked around with a smile. Of course, there was a reason for her sudden seriousness.
“Only 100 bottles…! And you say the price is fixed at the regular rate?”
It was because of a young customer causing a scene like this.
A boy much younger than her youngest son, wearing the academy freshman uniform. I didn’t know which faculty he belonged to, but he seemed like a first-year student.
He brought his friends along and was making an absurd demand.
100 bottles.
Since starting her business, Mrs. Chandelier had insisted on selling only one bottle per person.
Of course, it would have been convenient to sell the entire box to a big shot. Maybe I could have sold it in an instant. But Mrs. Chandler was willing to endure the inconvenience to supply the health tonic to those who really needed it.
After all, the health tonic belonged to all citizens.
“Look here, student.”
“Hurry! If we don’t meet the quota, the seniors will skin us alive!”
“Are you running an errand? I’m sorry, but I don’t do business like that. Can you see the people waiting behind? If the students take 100 bottles, the ones who actually need the medicine won’t get any. I understand your intentions, but please restrain yourself…”
“Damn it, I’ll pay!”
Being polite won’t work with this guy.
Although it was somewhat burdensome to deal with someone from the Academy, I couldn’t treat them differently from other customers.
“Look here, students!”
From Noble mtl dot com
Mrs. Chandler’s plea,
But the wicked students didn’t listen.
“Oh, this is not good.”
Instead, they resorted to physical force.
“Grandma, here’s the money! Are we done?”
After throwing the money on the ground, they seized several boxes of the 50 bottles.
“What is this madness…!”
“Hand it over!”
Perhaps because they were Academy students, their fighting skills were exceptionally remarkable. It was nearly impossible to stop them with just a few servants.
And then they pushed the customers in line and ran off… Their running speed was incredibly fast.
The absurd assault by the Academy students.
The store, always brimming with happiness, had turned into chaos without warning. The fact that around two hundred bottles of health syrup were emptied was just the beginning.
Lady Chandelier wore a bewildered expression and repeated, “Unbelievable,” over and over. She may have paid, but it was practically akin to being robbed.
Imperial Academy students of Dongryang, known for their intellectual prowess, engaged in such violent actions.
“This is unacceptable, truly.”
The reckless behavior of the youth was beyond comprehension.
If such incidents continued, the dignity of health syrup would plummet.
One might question the dignity of medicine sold on the streets, but it wasn’t the case here. Soon, it would be available in major department stores and grocery stores, thanks to the system.
Above all, it was a business that carried the honor of the princess. It couldn’t be treated lightly.
For Chandler, who had served as a maid for forty years, it was a significant opportunity provided by her grateful mistress, the third princess. She was determined to take extraordinary measures for her sake.
Of course, business had to be handled right away.
“Madam, are you okay?”
She couldn’t turn away from precious customers who even expressed concern.
Lately, there had been an increase in customers complaining of chest pain, severe dizziness, and insomnia. Chandler, already worried, thought, ‘They must be living harsh lives. Poor souls.’
What such people needed was undoubtedly health syrup! Lady Chandler resumed selling with a smile on her face.
…
Business was thriving as usual.
Suddenly, however, the royal guards stormed in and began dismantling the makeshift store.
“Selling health syrup is prohibited under imperial decree!”
“What is this madness?”
Mrs. Chandelier questioned, and the soldiers responded with broken arms and coercion. She couldn’t even scream; she was subdued.
Soon after, the colonel of the palace guards revealed her crimes in front of the crowd.
The charge: manufacturing harmful substances that threatened the physiological functions of citizens under the system.
“What harm is there in being harmful…! I worked so hard on this!”
Mrs. Chandelier twisted her body in protest, but the only response was brutality.
Smack! The soldiers ruthlessly struck her with batons.
“Aah!”
In the end, Mrs. Chandelier lay on the ground in a miserable state.
All she did was sell health syrup at a reasonable price. She couldn’t fathom why this had happened.