Chapter 177 - 177 Unexpected Nick
The next day, the three members of the Economic Revolution Club were absent from school. It was for the final touches. Naturally, they had obtained Steve's permission. And the sell orders remained unchanged: 6,000,000 shares at 10,001 Dra. It was a selling strategy that said, "If you can buy them, try to buy them."
That day, profit-taking sales were dominant, and the stock price hovered around 9,700 Dra. However, just before the morning session closed, buy orders poured in all at once.
The stock price rose steadily, buying up all 6,000,000 shares of sell orders.
And the morning session closed.
During lunch break, Fleming Trading Company announced a stock split. Since the stock price had risen, they intended to split it to make the price easier to buy. The date was one month later.
This was the method Mikhail had devised.
When the afternoon session began, sell orders almost disappeared, and the stock price reached 20,000 Dra.
The reason this happened is that to split the stocks, they must first be gathered at the securities company. In other words, the number of stocks circulating in the market became extremely small, and investors who had shorted had to buy them back.
The original shareholders, having the convenience of handing over their stocks to the securities company to obtain the split stocks, requested their return. Even during year-end settlement, stocks are sometimes returned to finalize the shareholder register, but dividends can still be received without doing so. It is only the rights at the shareholders' meeting that are lost, but with a split, the situation is different.
The bank that had lent the stocks pledged by Baron Fleming to Henri Trading Company also needed to temporarily get those stocks back due to this announcement.
Because they understood this flow, no sell orders were issued.
And, unfortunately, those who sold naked shorts were demanded to submit stocks by the investors who bought them, so they had to buy them in the market no matter what.
The head of Henri Trading Company took this information to Count Cutter.
"Your Excellency, this is a major crisis!"
"What is it?"
"Fleming Trading Company has announced a stock split."
"And that is?"
Count Cutter did not know the mechanism of price increases due to stock splits at this time. Therefore, he was dumbfounded as to what there was to panic about with just a split.
But after hearing the head's explanation, his face turned pale.
"This is bad. Moreover, all the sell orders in the morning session were eaten?"
"It must be buy orders from someone who obtained early ear information."
"How much is the stock price now?"
"When I left, it was approaching 20,000 Dra."
"What?!"
Count Cutter's sell positions were about 9,000,000 shares, amounting to a loss of approximately 90 billion Dra.
Even for a count, this is not an amount that can be easily paid.
And if not settled, a margin call will occur, but since almost all funds that could be moved with sell orders were invested, it is difficult to post additional margin.
Furthermore, Henri Trading Company was also shorting with their own orders, known as "hand-picking." They were holding lanterns for the Count. Not only Henri Trading Company, but many other investors were also holding lanterns for the main Count, and now a scramble for stocks was taking place.
"What do you think we should do?"
"Should we make Baron Fleming withdraw the split? There is no other way."
"Then, take the daughter as a hostage. After school ends, have her come here tonight as a lady-in-training. Seize her, and blame it on bandits."
Count Cutter immediately summoned his steward and gave that order.
After that, it was negotiation after seizing Jasmine's person.
In the evening, upon confirming that Jasmine had arrived at the mansion, Count Cutter went out with a prepared blackmail letter. His destination was Baron Fleming. At this time, the Baron is often at the trading company to close the day's sales, so he headed there.
And there was Baron Fleming.
"Forgive my sudden visit. This is an emergency."
"An emergency?"
The Baron looked at the Count with a suspicious expression.
"Just now, such a thing was delivered to my home."
Saying that, he produced a letter. It stated that Jasmine had been kidnapped and demanded that the stock split be cancelled in exchange for her release.
Count Cutter had no intention of releasing Jasmine.
After all, the person seized was at his own mansion. If released, it would be exposed, so he intended to kill her.
However, the Baron who heard the story showed no anxiety. The Count found this strange.
"Who did such a prank?"
"A prank?"
"Yes, if she is a daughter, she is here."
When the Baron said that, Jasmine came out from the back.
"What?!"
The Count was surprised. Jasmine had just arrived and then immediately appeared. There should be no way a walking girl could be overtaken.
Although the Count showed a surprised expression, he quickly regained his composure.
"I am glad you are safe. However, were you not supposed to come to my home today?"
"I did come to visit, Your Excellency, but there were bandits at your mansion. I was saved when I was about to be caught."
Jasmine answered that. For some reason, her face was red.
"Bandits, at my home?"
When the Count said that, a woman's voice came from further inside.
"Oh my, oh my, the Royal Capital is quite dangerous these days."
"The Eastern territory has good security."
Appearing there were Aurora and Evelyn.
The Count was surprised and confused again. He could not understand why the two great nobles, among the best in the country, were at Fleming Trading Company.
But in the next moment, he understood.
Aurora's bright red lips moved.
"So, Count. I hold about 5,000,000 shares of this company, but I might be willing to sell them to you."
"Oh my, Margrave Sowell, what a coincidence. I have gathered the same number of shares myself."
The Count understood that he was being targeted by these two great nobles.
And he would surely be found out for trying to use Jasmine as a hostage as well.
"Well, it seems not only Fleming Trading Company's stocks, but also Count Cutter's other commodities' positions have opposing orders placed against them."
Hearing this, the Count flew into a rage. He knew he was finished anyway. He would not pretend in front of the two.
"Don't joke! I will not pay any money!"
Saying that, he tried to grab him. However, he could not move forward. Somehow, chains were attached to his feet.
"Count, the time to pay the tax has come."
Here appeared Steve.
To reveal the truth, Steve had been monitoring Count Cutter and knew that Jasmine's person was to be seized. Therefore, he rescued her just before the Count's steward could catch her.
The fact that he could return home faster than a carriage was only possible thanks to Steve's magic.
"First of all, it has been investigated that the reason Fleming Baron's business was on the verge of collapse was also Count's scheme. Well, even without pursuing that, he will go bankrupt due to this incident. I will not kill you. The suffering will end quickly. You shall walk a life of misery forever."
"Grr."
Steve's thoughts were close to Buddhism; death is liberation from suffering. Therefore, he would not allow him to atone for his sins with death. He would make him reflect for as long as possible.
Count Cutter could not refute Steve's words and bit his lip. He bit it so hard that blood seeped out.
Baron Fleming was also surprised, unaware of this information.
"Impossible. Did I borrow money from such a person?"
"You probably made more money from short selling than the amount you borrowed. Well, that money is also gone due to this incident."
Count Cutter fell to his hands and knees on the floor, admitting defeat.
The next day, the exchange declared a settlement by compromise for Fleming Trading Company.
Settlement by compromise is a stock term used when the market is subjected to sudden chaos due to various factors, or when there are unavoidable circumstances leading to inability to settle, as an emergency measure to present a certain price to both parties and settle.
In Japan, on the first day of listing for J-Com, a certain securities company mistakenly entered an order to sell 610,000 Dra per share as 1 Dra for 610,000 shares, short-selling stocks actually 6.6 times the number of issued stocks.
Naturally, they could not buy them back, and a settlement by compromise occurred the next day. There were also cases like the Nakayama Steel Works' speculator war, where short selling exceeded the number of issued stocks, resulting in a settlement by compromise.
This time, obtaining physical stocks due to the stock split was extremely difficult, and it was decided to have a settlement by compromise.
That stock price: 50,000 Dra. Double the amount of the previous day's closing.
Of course, behind that decision stood Aurora and Evelyn, who had pressured the exchange.
The sellers wanted to protest, but the opponents were great nobles, and they knew that if they did not accept these conditions, they would suffer further forced liquidation.
And on the holiday three days later, relatives of House Archibalt gathered.
Steve and his family, the three members of the Economic Revolution Club, Aurora, Evelyn, Baron Fleming and Jasmine, Valier, Emmanuel, and Sherry.
Steve spoke first.
"First of all, congratulations on a complete victory."
"Thank you, Your Excellency. In the end, I had to ask you to handle the aftermath."
Representing them, Mikhail expressed gratitude and bowed his head.
Isabella and Elizabeth felt shy to thank everyone in front of everyone else, so they just bowed their heads.
"You really thought of a stock split."
"I was wondering if there was a way to tighten supply and demand, and when I was researching past price movements of various stocks, I thought of it. I am thrilled that Your Excellency praised me."
"Really, you are amazing. If you had given up, I was going to squeeze you with financial power, but you did it without any funds. How about coming to our house as an adopted child?"
Aurora tried to scout them shamelessly, but Mikhail refused. Then, Isabella stood in front of the cowering Michael and protected him from Aurora.
"Don't look at me with such scary eyes. I won't take you. Just become my child and marry her. I will bless you."
Hearing that, Steve's mouth turned into a frown. Laughter leaked out from the children and everyone except Steve.
And Aurora continued.
"It has been fun these past few days. I was able to have a pleasant conversation with Your Highness Dragon Wing Medal regarding the share of the spoils."
"I thought I should add 'half' to the Western dictionary."
Aurora and Evelyn chuckled.
The two had been fighting fiercely over the distribution of debts from bankrupt nobles and trading companies. Isabella and Elizabeth did not miss out because they took on the troublesome collection work.
So, they were able to receive cash in a lump sum.
Incidentally, Count Cutter went bankrupt, but his debts did not disappear. He ended up paying money provided by the state to the Sowell family endlessly. Of course, even at gatherings in the Royal Castle, he had to agree with the Sowell family's opinions, effectively taking over the Cutter family.
Steve cleared his throat.
"Ahem, you should also thank Valier and Emmanuel. Since the two accepted the children's orders."
"I told you to keep it secret from Dad."
Isabella voiced her dissatisfaction to the two merchants.
"Of course, we cannot accept such an amount secretly from Your Excellency. Well, I did ask them to let us do as we please for a while."
Valier said it without any ill intent.
He also had the desire to fight the final speculator war, so in exchange for reporting the situation step by step, he was allowed not to interfere.
"If there was no reason to help a classmate, I would not have given permission. Besides, it was actually very dangerous."
Nancy agreed with that.
"Yes. This time, fortunately, no one died, but that is because Your Lordship was there. Isabella, you can protect yourself, but you still lack the power to protect others."
Since Nancy, who usually does not get angry, spoke in a strong tone, Isabella became dejected.
"Our family was saved thanks to that, so please forgive us."
Baron Fleming offered a helping hand.
Steve was not truly angry, so he said no more.
Valier, while laughing,
"We have made a good souvenir for the other world."
This time, Valier had leaked information to Aurora and Evelyn to win, making them allies. And while he appeared to have sold off, he had actually moved the stocks to the two of them.
The shrewd speculator Valier moved so that even if the children failed, they could win.
Elizabeth looked up at Sherry.
"Mom, I became very rich..."
"I will keep it here."
"Eh."
She voiced her dissatisfaction again.
Seeing that, Steve said as if admonishing her.
"There is filial piety of the crow feeding its parents. Even crows feel the kindness of their parents and put food in their mouths. Liz used the title of Princess of the Kingdom of Merda, so give up on making everything your own."
"Uncle!"
Elizabeth pleaded with Steve looking up, but it did not reach him.
When Elizabeth fell silent, Baron Fleming stepped forward in front of Isabella.
"I felt that business is impossible for me due to this incident. Please, will you not take over the trading company?"
"Me?"
"Yes. I could not even realize I was being deceived by Count Cutter, and the hot spring facility cannot function without your magic. I also feel reluctant to make Your Excellency's son work."
Hearing that, Isabella looked at Michael.
Noticing this, Steve felt a little dejected.
"If that is the case, how about buying the stocks from the Baron and trying to manage it? With the current stock price, you cannot buy them."
Told by Michael, Isabella made her decision.
"Yes. Since it is a rare opportunity, let's make it a joint management of the three. But since there is school, the Baron will continue to manage it for a while."
"A hired president, then. Understood. And regarding the daughter..."
Baron Fleming looked at Steve.
Steve felt something unpleasant in that gaze, and his spine went cold.
"Since being helped by Your Excellency, I wish to dedicate myself to Your Excellency. Not to the extent of becoming a wife, but will you not take me?"
The room froze at those words.
"Oh my, in that case, please take me too. I am single."
Evelyn also made her appeal.
Christina's forehead did not show a vein, but a fierce flame burned within her heart.
Julia and Camilla mediated somewhat, and the matter was settled with Jasmine coming to House Archibalt as a lady-in-training.
Incidentally, in later years, Jasmine would marry Arthur's younger brother, who resembled Steve.
Thus, the speculator war of Fleming Trading Company ended, and Isabella seemed to return to her usual student life, but that end came suddenly.
One day, Isabella, who was still told to act with Arthur, was walking down the hallway after school with Arthur. Elizabeth and Michael were also with them, and behind them were the girls who wanted to get close to Arthur.
There, she encountered an unexpected person.
"Nick?"
"Miss!"
It was Nick. There was a plan to create a vocational training school in the Royal Capital, and Nick had been invited as a lecturer. Nick did not understand schools well, so he was visiting several schools in the Royal Capital.
And he had come to the noble school as well.
"Miss, and Young Master Arthur too. Well, since both siblings are going to the Royal Capital, the territory must be lonely. Come back sometimes and show your face at the factory..."
"Shut up!"
Isabella silenced Nick, but it was already too late.
Turning around with a slowness that seemed to make a squeaking sound, the female students were frozen with indescribable expressions.
"I omitted this during self-introduction, but my name is Isabella Ties Cromwell Archibalt. I also have Empire nationality, so saying I am an international student from the Empire is not a lie. Also, look, the fact that I have no intention of marrying Arthur is true too. Because we are siblings. So, I would like everyone to treat me as usual from now on."
When she asked that, the female students nodded awkwardly. Arthur smiled bitterly, and Elizabeth put her hand to her forehead and looked up at the sky.
And that night, some of the female students came to Steve with their parents to apologize.
Isabella sat at her work desk, remembering her student days. The distance created between her and other students because of Nick. And also, making Nick build guns as repayment for that.
"In the end, the things made by Nick were the best. It is a pity that I cannot have him make them anymore."
Even though it was said to shoot water, rust inhibitors were added to that water. Being the daughter of a factory owner, making water for steam cleaning was a piece of cake.
When washing iron, it rusts if using water, so alkaline rust inhibitors are added. By using this, the inside of the gun barrel was prevented from rusting.
"Recently, perhaps because of my age, I keep remembering the past. Am I not going to live much longer?"
Isabella muttered that, and then thought about what she would talk to Michael when she met him in heaven.