Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Conclusion
With the Marquess Cavendish's dismissal from his position as president, the Economic Revolution Club's takeover of Cavendish Construction was complete. The directors, who had been the Marquess's yes-men, all resigned in a row. This was not something Arthur had forced upon them. Rather, he had wanted them to stay for a while because there was a possibility that business operations would stall, but they were afraid of being glared at by the Marquess and resigned immediately.
Furthermore, the shares held by the Marquess were purchased by the Salieri Trading Company. Because they had exploited public works and committed breach of trust, there was a claim for damages from the company, and they needed cash.
As for the punishment of that Marquess, his title was lowered to Baron, and his son would inherit it. With the return of the illicit profits that had been revealed, all their household goods were gone, and they had no power left.
Although the Marquess himself was not imprisoned, he had fallen so low that no one paid him any attention anymore.
With the situation now reduced to this state, feelings regarding Helena, Natalia's mother, had completely disappeared.
After everything ended like this, the concerned parties gathered at the Archibalt residence in the Royal Capital.
The members were the members of the Economic Revolution Club and Valier. The Archibalt family consisted of Steve, Christina, and Nancy. There was also Aurora, Margrave Remington and his wife, Sherry, and the Granville family.
Margrave Remington bowed his head to Steve.
"Thank you very much this time."
"No, I did nothing. This time, everything was done by the children."
The reason Margrave Remington bowed his head was as a token of gratitude that a relative of his residing in the Royal Capital had taken the seat of Chairman of the Royal Capital Urban Redevelopment Committee. With the Marquess Cavendish gone, the seat that had become vacant was taken by his relative, a Count.
This was the result of the country recognizing Lilia's achievement in exposing the Marquess Cavendish's irregularities. Since it was difficult for Margrave Remington to handle the business in the Royal Capital, that relative was chosen instead.
"Without Lady Lilia, there would have been no result this time,"
Arthur interjected to support her. Arthur praised Lilia, stating that the greatest merit was that she pointed out the flaws to put Cavendish Construction in a financial crisis.
Lilia blushed and looked down.
"However, with this, I wonder if our family has taken too much profit."
To the bowing Margrave, Aurora laughed.
"We acquired one of the country's top construction companies at a low price. Isn't that enough? Ah, I want to receive dividends as soon as possible."
Currently, the Salieri Trading Company is a major shareholder with 25%. Dividends are attractive to Aurora, who controls them, but compared to her assets, they are a mere trifle. Her true purpose was something else.
Arthur also understood that purpose.
"Besides dividends, we will change the material suppliers to the Salieri Trading Company. We have stopped trading with the trading companies that exploited the Marquess."
Several trading companies that had been sucking sweet blood under the Marquess have been placed under a trading suspension order. These were companies that not only complied with the Marquess's request to inflate the costs of public works but had also inflated their own claims. Although called a trading suspension, since they had defrauded national funds, most of them were effectively shut down. Since it was indefinite, it was practically bankruptcy.
This time, the members of the Economic Revolution Club took measures so that not only the subcontractors of Cavendish Construction but also the sub-subcontractors and those further down the chain would not go into chain bankruptcy, so they did not incur any hatred. To Steve, it was a brilliant method even without taking into account his parents' greed.
Steve honestly praised them.
"It was truly magnificent. A method that does not incur hatred from anyone other than those who committed irregularities is worthy of praise."
Upon hearing that, the faces of the members all brightened at once.
Valier also smiled and praised them.
"The method of cornering the market was truly brilliant. Entering from the selling side, lowering the stock price with bad rumors, and buying up at a low price along with capital increases. Moreover, it was done by multiple investors pretending to be unrelated. If lanterns had been lit, they would have bought at even higher prices."
Currently, the stock price is rising as the Archibalt family and the Sowell family have become major shareholders, and buy orders are pouring in. With only 25% of the shares circulating in the market to begin with, such good news has come in, and the price is updating to new highs every day.
"It is a far more advanced tactic than when I was young. You really thought of that."
"No, compared to my father who thought of financial products like stocks, futures, and insurance from nothing, we just used a place that was already made."
Arthur humbly declined the praise, but Steve knew that it was something he could do only because of his knowledge from his past life, and it wasn't something that warranted such high praise. So he felt a bit ticklish.
From such a cover for his embarrassment, words slipped out of his mouth.
"A third-generation who writes 'Tang Style' on a sold house..."
"What do you mean by that?"
Aurora, hearing that, asked Steve.
"It is a story from a distant land where the wealth created by the first generation with hard work is spent on play by the third generation who does not know hardship when they take over, eventually leading to selling the house."
"Oh my, you are well-read."
Aurora looked at Steve as if surprised, and Steve hastily averted his eyes.
At the end of that gaze was the Knight Lord Granville. He met his eyes and bowed his head.
"My Lord, thank you very much this time."
"No, it was the children who did it. This time I did nothing."
Such a conversation took place.
Watching that, Elizabeth quietly spoke to Sherry.
"Mom, the profit this time belongs to the club, so don't take it away."
"Of course. What do you think I am?"
"A greedy mother."
"Now then!"
Hearing that, everyone was enveloped in laughter.
On the other hand, at that time, thieves had broken into the mansion of Baron Cavendish.
The target was the former Marquess.
In a mansion with no assets and no guards, the former Marquess was being held at knife-point by the thieves.
"The organization is gone, but I must avenge the boss."
The thief was a former executive of a mafia. He had been plotting to kill the Marquess in revenge for his boss being killed, but he saw that the security had slackened after the fall and rushed in like this.
"Wait, help me. I didn't kill him!"
"Shut up! That excuse won't work!"
Saying that, he thrust a finger into the neck. The former Marquess fell down right there.