Chapter 86 - 86 Joseph Frobel Arrival
Joseph Frobel arrived in Sowell Land, a major city in the western region of the Kingdom of Cascade. The journey to enter the Kingdom of Cascade from the Yellow Empire via the Kingdom of Forest was by horse carriage, and his rear was very painful, but after entering the Kingdom of Cascade, it became travel by steam locomotive to Sowell Land, so that pain did not worsen.
Stepped off the platform, turned back to look at the steam locomotive.
"To think this thing has been put to practical use. I heard about it in stories, but combined with the facilities around the station, how much profit would it yield? No, considering construction costs and maintenance costs, imitating it is not easy."
Merchant instinct, couldn't help but click the abacus. As a political merchant, he was fine if he could get profit from material procurement for the railway the state builds, or involvement in construction, there was no need to go so far as to operate the railway itself.
However, seeing the profit generated by infrastructure, he thought handling such social infrastructure with state power behind it would be good too.
Here Joseph remembered the original purpose.
"Railway is for another time. I must go to the place introduced by General Garrett."
Saying that, he exited the station.
General Garrett introduced was an inn run by a member of the newly constructed intelligence network. The operator was a citizen of the Kingdom of Cascade, but they were threatened by operatives and provided the inn as an activity base. It was just right for non-local residents to stay there. Operatives of the Yellow Empire stayed there one after another, exchanging information.
There Joseph contacted an operative named Ino.
Ino had tanned skin and a friendly-looking smile, to put it poorly, a flashy appearance. Joseph and Ino had obtained each other's information, but since it was content that would become a big problem if they spoke to someone who looked very similar to another person, they were supposed to exchange pre-agreed code words.
Joseph confirmed Ino was in the inn's dining hall and sat next to him. And spoke.
"Has the rain in the east stopped?"
"Seems like it stopped, but the water isn't draining."
"Then it's impossible to meet the old man?"
"Where is the old man?"
"In the countryside of Margrave Cleiman's territory."
"Name?"
"Garrett."
"If you like, shall I guide you halfway? I know a route without water. Follow me."
Ino said that and stood up from the seat. Joseph followed suit.
The two entered a room of the inn.
"Joseph Frobel, is it?"
"Yes. I came here by General Garrett's orders."
This room is always a room where operatives exchange information. The rooms on both sides are always vacant rooms, so that conversations won't be overheard. Here finally Joseph could speak with peace of mind.
"Only contact saying 'help with shopping' came. Due to business nature, if detailed content leaks it becomes troublesome, so it's decided to ask the person themselves."
"Is that so. I see. The reason I came here is to hike the timber prices of the Kingdom of Cascade. If the price of timber used for reconstruction rises, the more the national power of the Kingdom of Cascade can be weakened. That is the aim. It seems futures trading can be done here. I want you to procure the merchant who places that order, the one who becomes a hiding place. Also multiple."
Hearing "multiple", Ino's face became stern.
"Multiple?"
"Is it impossible?"
"Not impossible, but making collaborators is also tough. There are none here who want to switch allegiance to the Empire, so it becomes coercing them to obey, but as the number increases, the risk of exposure increases."
"That's the same for us. If only one merchant buys up abnormally, it becomes easy to expose hoarding easily. If it were the Empire, we could use people under our breath, but abroad it's not like that. Next, use someone like me operating a large trading company."
"That's even more impossible. Escort is definitely attached."
"Right."
"Keep a few guys who are just small shops with hair grown on them usable. However, money can't be done anything about."
Ino made a ring with his right thumb and index finger, made a gold gesture. Naturally Joseph had prepared for that.
"I have what I brought for business use, and with the money General Garrett arranged, my servants are coming later. Can't carry a large sum of money at once."
"Exchange merchants will suspect. So until money arrives, we can get time here too."
"Yes. But there isn't much time."
"Understood. We're pros too. Leave it to me."
After the talk ended, the two exited the room. Ino introduced Joseph to the inn owner.
"This person is my guest. Seems he wants to meet the old man in the east, but first it's necessary to confirm survival. I took that on, so until that is known, it was decided to stay at this inn."
"Then let's take payment in advance for one week. Further extension cases also become advance payment. If departing midway, we return on a daily basis."
The owner explained the fee to Joseph.
"Please take care of me."
Thus Joseph decided to manipulate the market with the inn as a base.
Until preparations were ready, he walked around Sowell Land to check prices. There, the price of things was not much different from the Empire, and prices seemed relatively stable.
Next, he tried to look at the futures trading market, but since he couldn't enter without a broker, he decided to check only the price written on the blackboard outside. On the blackboard, current trading price and price difference from the previous day were written, but no more information. The men posting the blackboard were selling charts besides that. Charts are graphs depicting price movements. This was paid. Joseph purchased a chart of timber prices to know price movements.
"This is convenient. Even if only prices are written, it's hard to convert to price movements in the head, but if it's a graph, it's easy to understand visually."
Various charts devised by Steve had now become common sense in Sowell Land. Securities companies were further researching this to create new charts.
"Steam locomotive, futures trading, the Empire might not be surpassed by the Kingdom of Cascade in national power. Whether they can repel it with military power. It's understandable that the General is launching an economic war."
Analyzed excluding the emotion of patriotism. Joseph thought perhaps a reversal of national power might occur even during his lifetime. After that, he ate at a restaurant and returned to the inn.
Continuing such life for three days, a report came from Ino.
"Preparation is done."
"I see. Then let's move."
Thus Joseph bought into timber futures through collaborators Ino created.
Valier, watching market movements in Sowell Land, found an abnormal rise in timber prices. Since it was material used for reconstruction, it had been on an upward trend since the great flood in the east, but here it had started rising abnormally. However, this rise was not in reports from the Royal Capital. That is, someone was hiking prices only in Sowell Land.
Regarding Royal Capital prices, they were sent via communication using mirrors and light. Aurora was using this having obtained permission from the King for the securities company.
Valier immediately investigated the brokers buying timber futures. The brokers were multiple, and the merchants placing orders were different. Those merchants were not large trading companies, but medium-sized or slightly smaller trading companies.
"So, it's a syndicate manipulation by a group of multiple people, huh."
Valier made that prediction. Those with no capital power also become power if gathered. There were those who manipulated the market with such allied armies before. However, in the end, gathered they were weak. They had come to profit by selling off where it was moderately hiked. Hoping this time is the same, while licking lips, he moved to collect more information.
And when some information was gathered, he reported to Aurora.
"Your Excellency, there seem to be people inappropriately hiking timber futures, what shall we do? If Margrave Cleiman finds out they are using the eastern flood for profit, there is a possibility of being given unnecessary trouble."
"That's not good. So, do you know the opponent's background?"
"It seems 4 merchants have joined hands. All are small trading companies, so if we sell off, they won't endure and will stop buying."
"Don't fail. If stepped on and bought back at high prices, the price will rise even more."
Aurora had a little concern. A chance for weak trading companies to profit, so if they hike timber prices in this situation, maybe they don't realize they will be glared at by Aurora.
She obtained information on those merchants from Valier, and decided to investigate the background independently.
"By the way, are you joining hands with the boy this time?"
"Dragon Head Medal Your Excellency hasn't been seen recently."
"My information network has also lost sight of the boy, maybe a long-term business trip somewhere. But Your Majesty has no movement either, maybe went abroad? I'm anxious not knowing what they'll do if not watched."
"Isn't it fear of missing out on privileges?"
"That's secondary. The incident caused is too big, if we don't grasp information early we can't respond. As a result, grasping information early allows us to beat others."
Steve in the East had rarely reported to Aurora. And because it was a region opposite the Royal Capital, and information network was cut off by large-scale disaster, he couldn't grasp his existence.
Aurora found that very unpleasant. Like losing sight of a mischievous child who doesn't know what they'll do if eyes are off. Investigated House Archibalt, but no clear answer came. Or rather, felt the air of concealment.
That's because the daughter of Margrave Cleiman, who was viewed as an enemy, wanted to meet secretly without parents' knowledge, so she was taking care not to let that information out.
Aurora finding out Steve's whereabouts will be a bit later.
Also, Valier, because the near-term contract final day was approaching, decided to wait for an opportunity to short sell from the next month of the far-term contract.
Since Steve wasn't here, the talk with Salieri Trading Company and Emmanuel Trading Company became Valier himself doing it. Because of Aurora's order, absolutely couldn't lose, so he called the two large trading companies in Sowell Land.
Emmanuel Trading Company was troubled by the surge in timber prices delivered to Steve, and wanted to eliminate those inappropriately hiking prices, so interests aligned with Valier.
On the other hand, Joseph hoped for a showdown with Valier, but since Valier didn't take position immediately, the showdown was still pending, waiting for that time with anticipation.
Meanwhile, funds continued to be sent from the Empire. Preparation of funds was steadily progressing, to suppress the feeling of wanting to fight sooner, he was venting by watching Valier Trading Company from afar.
Valier was indeed a speculator, and couldn't stop excitement for the market before his eyes.
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