Chapter 175 - 175 Assassination
The sell order for Fleming Trading Company issued at the exchange that day was abnormal.
A sell order for 3,000,000 shares at 9,999 Dra. A sell order for 6,000,000 shares at 10,001 Dra had been issued.
The total issued shares of Fleming Trading Company were 11,000,000. In fact, 82% had been put up for sale. The shareholder composition was Baron Fleming with 5,000,000 shares, Elizabeth with 2,000,000 shares, and Isabella with 1,430,000 shares. The rest were the 5,000,000 shares sold upon listing. Major shareholders do not sell, so even if all shares on the market were sold, this order would be impossible.
And this order had been placed by Count Cutter. Henri Trading Company had secured the shares that Baron Fleming had pledged to the bank as collateral for his debts and lent them to Count Cutter, but the remaining shortfall was a naked short, an order to sell shares that did not exist.
There are two types of short selling: selling borrowed shares from others, and placing sell orders without such arrangements. Calling both "short selling" is confusing.
Naked shorts are technically prohibited by rules, but in reality, they are being conducted under the excuse of having made a verbal contract to borrow them.
The reason for placing such an order was that if the price did not reach 10,000 Dra, Fleming Trading Company would go bankrupt in two months, and if it reached 10,000 Dra, the main entity would judge that there was no capital to buy up any further.
According to the information Count Cutter had gathered, Elizabeth was acting alone, and the Kingdom of Merda was not behind her. He was certain because the result of finding out by threatening Jasmine and the result of investigating through his own information network were the same. Furthermore, he had grasped that Valier had been placing small sell orders bit by bit over the last few days to secure profits.
If Valier, who knows the financial situation of the main entity, has withdrawn, this must be the limit.
Once the price hits 10,000 Dra, the corporate bonds will be forcibly converted into shares. If that happens, 1,000,000 new shares will be created. These will become selling pressure, and the standard practice is for the stock price to fall.
That is why he went all in with a two-stage sell order.
This order was conveyed to Isabella and the others by Valier. A servant from Valier Trading Company came to the school, informed them, and said to send a carriage to the trading company after school.
The three followed this and came to Valier Trading Company after school.
And they received an explanation from Valier.
"So, as you can see, a massive order has been placed surrounding the 10,000 Dra mark."
"3,000,000 shares to reach the target of 10,000 Dra. First, we must deal with this."
Elizabeth looked at Valier.
She pleaded with her eyes if he had any opinions.
"With margin trading, you can buy up to three times the amount of your holdings as collateral, at 80% of the value."
Margin trading allows transactions three times the amount of capital. However, that is limited to cash. When using shares as collateral, 80% of the stock price is calculated as collateral, and orders can be placed up to three times that amount.
"If so, we can achieve the goal of 10,000 Dra to avoid bankruptcy."
Isabella clasped her hands behind her head and leaned her weight against the back of the chair.
She would be told it was improper if she did this outside, but no one here gave such a warning.
"The problem is how to sell off the holdings."
No one could answer Michael's question.
They had originally planned only for the current holding level, so they had not considered how to deal with sell orders exceeding expectations.
"If we think about it while the stock price is stuck, more sell orders might come out. First, let's get it to 10,000 Dra and avoid Fleming Trading Company's bankruptcy."
When Isabella made that judgment, the other two nodded.
Valier confirmed this and said,
"Then I will contact Emmanuel Trading Company to place orders starting tomorrow."
"I'm counting on you."
The group dispersed there for the day.
And the next day, the stock price of Fleming Trading Company finally reached 10,000 Dra, and bankruptcy was averted.
In exchange for 1,000,000 new shares.
Still, as a sort of milestone, a small celebration was held at Fleming Trading Company.
"Thank you. I didn't know what would happen for a moment."
Baron Fleming bowed his head.
At this time, Jasmine felt relieved as if nothing had happened. She had thought there would be some obstruction from Jackson somewhere, but the bond repayment issue had cleared smoothly.
However, that just meant the problem had shifted from bond repayment to selling off shares, which Isabella and the others would worry about, but Jasmine did not realize that.
And here, Count Cutter makes his final push.
He called for Jackson.
"Did you call me, Father?"
"Hmm. I intend to definitely dispose of Alex's son and the foreign student from the Empire. If those two disappear, the princess of the Kingdom of Merda will no longer dare to oppose us out of fear. This time, instead of students, I have hired professionals. Tomorrow, have them infiltrate the school and make contact with you after school. There, I will give you the targets."
Count Cutter had planned to kill two of the main entities and win this market. Michael could be killed anytime, but the other girl had guards with her during her trips, so he decided to kill her inside the school.
If the foreign student from the Empire were killed, it would become a diplomatic issue, but he had decided that was none of his concern.
Furthermore, Jackson grinned, thinking his blood pressure would finally drop this time.
The three, unaware of such schemes, were worried about how to sell off their shares.
The next day, after school.
Jackson waited for the assassins in an unused classroom. It was a place where the room of the Economic Revolution Club could be seen.
Then, before he knew it, the assassin was standing next to him. He was a man in a white coat with an expressionless face.
"Woah."
Jackson was startled.
Ignoring such Jackson, the assassin went to find the target.
"Give me instructions on who to kill."
"A, ah."
Jackson took a deep breath and pointed at Isabella and Michael visible from the window.
"Those two."
"What about the other two?"
The other two referred to Elizabeth and Arthur.
At that, Jackson decided to kill Arthur as well.
A man who was born into a good family. That was Jackson's evaluation of Arthur. It was also Jackson's jealousy, as he had to find a job after graduation.
So, Arthur was added to the targets.
After all, he was a powerful person who had appeared next to him without him realizing it. He thought Arthur would be killed and he would disappear quickly.
Thus, he gave instructions to kill Arthur as well.
"Can you kill that man too, while you're at it?"
"Very well."
The assassin was a slave to sadistic pleasure. So, he wanted to kill more than what Count Cutter had requested. Especially if they were young people with a future, he felt it would be even more enjoyable.
The assassin, having confirmed the targets, left the room. Even walking down the hallway, thanks to the white coat, he was thought to be some kind of teacher, so he could walk without being reported.
Unaware that they were being targeted, Isabella and the others left the Economic Revolution Club room to go home. The assassin was waiting for Isabella and the others near the school gate. To kill them and escape immediately.
At this time, Bella was also waiting for Isabella at the school gate. Even if the assassination succeeded, she would not be able to escape, but the assassin did not know that. He was a man who had built a reputation in the underworld and prided himself on not losing even against knights, so he did not think there was anyone stronger than him in this place.
And when the distance between them became 10 meters, knives emerged from both sleeves of the assassin.
Isabella reacted to that first. Since the distance was close, she created bullets with water magic and attacked the assassin.
But, at that moment, Isabella hesitated to kill the assassin. And she attacked his arm, not his head.
As a result, the assassin was able to throw the knives.
Two knives flew towards Isabella and Michael.
Isabella knocked down the knives, but Michael could not perform such a feat and was stabbed in the abdomen.
"Michael!!"
At the same time Isabella shouted, a gunshot sound rang out.
Bella had attacked the assassin with the gun she was holding. The bullet hit his head, and the assassin fell on his back.
Isabella ran to Michael, and Bella rushed there.
Bella scanned the surroundings warily. It was not certain that there was only one attacker.
And Arthur gave instructions to Elizabeth.
"Liz, tell my people to contact Father."
"I understand."
The station where noble children waiting for carriages to leave school gather is outside the gate.
Elizabeth ran towards there.
Arthur's judgment was that he or Isabella were most likely to be targeted here, and the possibility of Elizabeth being targeted was low. Therefore, he made her the contact person, as it was safe for her to leave the scene.
"Michael!"
Michael answered weakly to Isabella's call.
"I wanted to be able to protect you someday, but in the end, that cannot be realized."
"Don't talk."
"No, it's fine. There is something I want to say at the end."
"What?"
"I loved you."
"Huh?"
Isabella's thoughts stopped due to the sudden confession.
In Isabella's mind, Michael should have liked Elizabeth.
While she stood frozen, blood continued to flow from Michael's body.
And his body began to convulse.
"Michael!"
"Shall I make it easier for you?"
Bella asked calmly.
However, Isabella became furious.
"Dad will save us if he comes! Don't say things like making him die easily! Please, Michael. If you heal, I'll kiss you or do anything, so don't die!"
When she shouted that, perhaps her prayer was heard, Steve appeared right before her eyes.
"Dad only recognizes pure relationships while you are students."
Steve looked very dissatisfied.
"Dad! Hurry up!"
And she scolded her daughter. Steve, who had been scolded more seriously than ever before, was shocked but healed Michael.
When he pulled out the knife and immediately used healing magic, the bleeding stopped.
"Since lost blood cannot be made, do not move suddenly."
"Yes."
Isabella, who called the suddenly appearing Steve "Dad", was not understood by Michael. So, he just nodded, overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
"Why is Dad here?"
"Julia had a revelation that I should go to the schoolyard at this time. She said the times might change."
"Julia's revelation?!"
Isabella was surprised. Julia was Steve's wife and, as a Saintess, could make prophecies through revelations. The fact that Steve came here due to her revelation meant it was fate by the gods.
But, why? As she thought about that, Steve placed a hand on her shoulder.
"For now, let's go home before things get troublesome."
Steve said that, then used necromancy on the dead assassin.
The assassin's body, whose head had been blown off, sat up abruptly.
"Eek!"
Michael screamed.
It was a natural reaction when a dead person rose up before one's eyes. While Michael screamed, Isabella and Arthur could not look directly at it.
Steve did not care and asked the corpse who had hired him.
Then, the corpse pointed at Jackson, who was watching from the empty classroom.
"Who is he?"
"Jackson Cutter. The son of Count Cutter."
Arthur answered.
"I see. It's becoming somewhat visible. Well, it's too conspicuous here, so let's talk at home."
Steve, including Elizabeth who had returned, teleported to their home.
However, just before teleporting, he glared at Jackson.
Jackson shuddered from being glared at by Steve, but in the next instant, when Steve and the others disappeared, he ran straight for home.