Chapter 172 - 172 The Speculative Battle Begins
The next day, the four met again in the room of the Economic Revolution Club.
"So, it might work out somehow, but will Baron Fleming agree to it?"
Elizabeth conveyed the plan she had been told by Valier yesterday.
Then, Michael spoke before Jasmine did.
"Doesn't that mean the risk is too great for Lady Elizabeth?"
"You don't need 'Lady'. Besides, there is no such thing as a plan with zero risk."
"But..."
Isabella watched Michael's demeanor and smiled with a grin.
Oh my, Michael is worrying about Liza like he does Anna. Could it be that he likes Liza? If Liza is fine with it, I might even cheer him on.
She was thinking such things.
On the other hand, Jasmine, clinging to the last straw, worried that Elizabeth might change her mind.
"I will confirm with my father immediately."
"Yes. If he agrees, tell him to visit Valier Trading Company. Valier will handle the rest."
Jasmine went straight home to report to her father.
The remaining three talked about what would happen next.
While looking at the two, Elizabeth asked:
"After I accept the Stock Acquisition Rights, I will show a posture of buying stocks currently on the market. What about you, Isabella and Michael?"
"I will start buying Fleming Trading Company stocks with the money I have on hand. Since the price will rise anyway, I'll buy it before the announcement of accepting the Stock Acquisition Rights."
"I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of money."
Seeing Michael say this with an apologetic look, Isabella regretted her mistake.
Driven by a sense of mission to show off Michael's good points to Elizabeth, she considered Michael's role.
"Ah, how about having Michael investigate the past stock price movements? Especially if we look at how the market moved when the stock price fluctuated greatly and what happened at that time, I think it will be useful this time too. Such materials should be available at the library or Valier Trading Company, right?"
"If that's the case, I think I can do it."
Michael's face suddenly brightened.
Elizabeth nodded.
"Good, the policy is decided. Then, we just wait for Baron Fleming's resolve."
"Okay."
The three raised their fists high.
The next day, Baron Fleming visited Valier Trading Company and conveyed his intention to issue Stock Acquisition Rights. This marked the beginning of the speculative battle that would determine Isabella's future life.
One week later, a disclosure from Fleming Trading Company announced that Elizabeth, the princess of the Kingdom of Merda, had accepted the Stock Acquisition Rights.
The stock price at that time was 101 Dora. It rose to 503 Dora by the close.
The conditions for the Stock Acquisition Rights were 1 Dora per share for 1,000,000 shares. The total number of existing issued shares of Fleming Trading Company was 10,000,000 shares, representing a 10% dilution. However, since the princess bought shares on the verge of bankruptcy, expectations arose that bankruptcy would be averted, causing the price to jump more than five times in an instant.
And, on the books, Elizabeth's assets became 500 million Dora.
By the way, during this one week, the trading volume of Fleming Trading Company stocks was many times higher than usual. Someone was collecting stocks within the market. Of course, it was Isabella and Valier. Even so, the stock price did not rise that much because short sellers who anticipated bankruptcy entered the market.
They were suddenly elevated by the announcement of these Stock Acquisition Rights.
Count Cutter, the main seller, was one of them.
Camille Henri, the head of Henri Trading Company, which acted as a broker, rushed to his mansion.
"My Lord, this is a major incident."
"What is it?"
"Fleming Trading Company has issued Stock Acquisition Rights, and the princess of the Kingdom of Merda has accepted them."
"What! And the stock price?"
For Count Cutter, this was a bolt from the blue. With bankruptcy just around the corner, he had been rejoicing as new sell orders kept getting executed and profits increased, when suddenly this bad news came flying in.
"Just before coming here, it was 400 Dora."
When Henri left the shop, the market had not yet closed.
"So, what are the conditions for the Stock Acquisition Rights? Does it look like bankruptcy will be averted?"
"That is..."
After Henri conveyed the conditions of the Stock Acquisition Rights, Count Cutter put his hand to his chin and thought.
"Then, bankruptcy will not be averted. Probably, someone goaded Fleming, who was in financial trouble, into creating this sudden surge. However, they should sell off immediately. After all, the condition is 1,000,000 Dora. What is needed is 5 billion. The digits are insufficient. Very well, increase the selling."
"I understand."
Count Cutter judged that bankruptcy would not be averted based on the conditions of the Stock Acquisition Rights and issued an order to increase selling, viewing this as a good opportunity. However, his face looked out the window with disgust.
"Even so, that was fast insider information. Who?"
"We will investigate that on our end."
Henri bowed his head and left the room.
"Fast insider information" was what is commonly known as insider trading. Since the legal framework had not yet been established, it was currently legal. In fact, there was a trend that those who obtained such information were considered excellent.
On the trading of the next day, investors who thought like Count Cutter sold, pushing the stock price back down. However, it did not plummet. Some investors thought there was something behind it and placed buy orders.
And the day after that. On this day, school classes were specially arranged. There was a research lesson where researchers gathered to observe the class, so teachers at the school also participated in the observation, meaning classes other than the target classes for the research lesson were on holiday.
And the stock exchange was open.
Elizabeth went there and showed herself placing buy orders for Fleming Trading Company stocks herself with the Emmanuel Trading Company she had brought along.
"Please keep buying."
"I understand."
Bowing politely was Emmanuel, the head.
He happened to be in the Royal Capital, and Isabella had asked him to come along.
As for Elizabeth's funds, they were borrowed from Emmanuel Trading Company, using the Stock Acquisition Rights as collateral.
This was used for payment to Fleming Trading Company. With the contract established, new shares were issued, and these were used as collateral again. For the sake of appearances, it was recorded that the collateral was returned from Emmanuel Trading Company.
Seeing this, the buyers gained momentum all at once. Lanterns followed, and as they chased Elizabeth, buy orders poured in one after another.
On that day, many sellers bought back their positions, and the stock price surged past 1,000 Dora in an instant. It became ten times in the blink of an eye.
Henri hurriedly sent a messenger to Count Cutter's mansion.
And the Count himself went to the stock exchange. He wanted to confirm if the princess was really there.
In the carriage heading to the stock exchange, Count Cutter trembled with anger.
"Idiot. Didn't they plan to prop up the stock price by elevating the princess and sell off at an appropriate time! If the princess herself is buying stocks, then if they try to sell off first, who knows what will happen. In other words, this buying means they truly intend to save Fleming Trading Company. Can such a thing really exist? There is no benefit whatsoever for the Kingdom of Merda!"
He shouted to himself like that.
At this moment, Count Cutter was looking at the market only through profit and loss.
He never even considered that Elizabeth was trying to save her classmate.
By the time Count Cutter arrived, the stock price had risen to 1,500 Dora.
"Henri, buy back immediately. All of it!"
"All of it?"
"Don't make me say it twice!"
Count Cutter shouted loudly at Henri's confirmation.
To Henri, Count Cutter's open positions were huge, and if he tried to buy back all at once, it would push the stock price up further.
That was why he confirmed, but seeing the Count's demeanor, he gave up saying anything more.
And when Count Cutter's buy-back began, the stock price accelerated further.
With no price limits, the stock price continued to rise until the end of trading hours, closing at 4,253 Dora.
After the close, the three of them, Isabella and others, held a meeting at the Royal Capital branch of Emmanuel Trading Company.
"How was my effect?"
Elizabeth puffed out her chest.
"She really is a princess. I don't see her in official places."
Isabella admired her.
Isabella and Elizabeth were good friends, but they never acted together in official places. As for the House Archibalt, Arthur, the heir after Steve, was scheduled to participate in official events with his grandfather and father, so Isabella did not participate in such events.
She never saw Elizabeth at the ceremonies of the Kingdom of Merda.
So, the dignity of a princess did not quite click for her.
"It's already 4,253 Dora. At this rate, it might reach 10,000 Dora next month? If so, my assets will be 10 billion Dora. I'll live playing around for the rest of my life."
Elizabeth, breathing heavily. However, Michael said in a calm tone.
"The price is rising now because the sellers are buying back, but we don't know what will happen after that ends. We need to think of the next move."
"Next, I will designate Fleming Trading Company as a Royal Merchant. Valier said that buyers who misunderstood becoming a Royal Merchant of the Kingdom of Merda would gather."
"Yes. But there is something called a 'panic bomb'. You jump at the news, but if it turns out to be disappointing, instead of returning to normal, it might drop even further. I have confirmed such things in the past market movements I am investigating. So, I think that alone is not enough."
Isabella, listening to this, crossed her arms.
"In the end, we need to keep buying more, I suppose."
"Yes. The lanterns won't follow unless the main seller buys."
On that day, in the end, no good ideas were produced, and they dispersed.
Incidentally, Steve had secretly asked Emmanuel to cooperate with the daughters, so they were able to buy stocks smoothly through Emmanuel Trading Company.
On the other hand, Jackson learned that his father had suffered a huge loss with Fleming Trading Company stocks. He also learned that the cause of this huge loss was Elizabeth, and the next day, he confronted Jasmine at school.
"Hey!"
"What is it, Jackson-sama?"
"Why is a vassal princess trying to save your real family!"
"I don't know."
As soon as Jasmine replied, pain struck her left cheek.
Jackson had slapped her. He then delivered a front kick, and Jasmine fell backward.
"If you hide it, I will kill you and your family. If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you. If you really don't know, contact them and investigate!"
Jackson glared at Jasmine, who was crying from the pain, and said that. Then he left.
And, out of fear, Jasmine ended up telling Jackson about the current plan.