Chapter 32 - Volume 2 (1/2)

Isaac believed there were three mandatory requirements to become a ruler.

Strength, money, and manpower.

Strength is the physical embodiment of authority; essentially, authority that has lost its strength has already met its end. All powerful dictators have strength firmly in their grasps. There are plenty of examples that exhibit the quick and miserable fall from power once they’ve lost their strength.

If strength is a tool to protect power, money is the force that maintains it. If there is no money, one cannot maintain strength. Without strength, power crumbles. Power becomes stronger the more you collect and dole out money.

Manpower is the limb that act for power. One cannot do everything alone. The reason why dictators place inept but loyal subjects instead of capable ones is because that at least makes their lives easier. That is why nations ruled by dictators.h.i.+ps are always corrupt and cannot escape from their deplorable conditions.

There is a reason why the inner circle of a dictators.h.i.+p clings on even as the dictators’ power wanes. They know too well that they will die with the dictator as they have survived feeding off what the dictator had given to them, which is why they become desperate to maintain power. The problem is that Isaac had none of the three.

“I should sort out money first. Oi.”

The operator who has already sinned against Isaac froze in place when Isaac spoke to him. He couldn’t even breathe properly as he stiffly replied to Isaac.

“Yes! Just say your word!”

“Connect me to Rivolden Merchant Guild’s Headquarters.”

No matter how sudden this Communicator presented itself into the world, there was no way the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds wouldn’t have a few of these revolutionary inventions already in hand.

-h.e.l.lo. This is Rivolden Merchant Guild Headquarters. How may I help you?

As expected of one of the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds, the operator for Rivolden Merchant Guild was also a beauty that could match Amy from the Department of Supplies.

“I want to talk with Mr. Goldman.”

-Do you mean Guild Master Goldman?

“Yes.”

-I’m sorry to ask, but on whose name is this message from?

“Just tell him it’s New Port City’s Administrator Isaac.”

-I’ll send the message now.

While the operator in the screen restlessly got to work, the operators around Isaac looked at each other as if they couldn’t believe what’s happening once more. How does Isaac know not just the Vice Commissioner of Department of Supplies, but also the Guildmaster of Rivolden Merchant Guild?

Mazelan is very far-fetched but still plausible if you consider their Sunbae-Hubae relations.h.i.+p from the College, but how can he know the Guild Master of a Merchant Guild he should never have had an opportunity to be in touch with? The operators began to see Isaac in a new light, realising that perhaps he wasn’t as secluded from the world as it first seemed.

-Oh! Isaac, it’s been a while! How have you been?

Goldman warmly greeted Isaac with his handsome gentlemanlike appearance. He had the ability to ease everyone around him with his smile and aura, but in truth he was nicknamed ‘greenhorn hunter’: a man who had practiced manipulating those who recently joined in the business world to the point of enlightenment.

“It’s been a while. I a.s.sume everything’s fine?”

-Hahaha. Other than that one time I almost died, there hasn’t been much.

“I would have a.s.sumed that with your skills, you wouldn’t have simply settled on seeing off the North Bear Tribe but formed another trade deal with them.”

-Hm? You already knew?

“Reisha told me about it.”

-Huhu, I didn’t mean the North Bear Tribe. Well, that was also quite problematic, but the real life-threatening situation was when that girl Kunette came here and destroyed this place, condemning me for giving away her honey.

“Huh? Kunette went there too? I’m surprised you’re still alive.”

-Hahaha! A true merchant always prepares for his future. I have already managed to procure elven honey through painstaking endeavours.

Goldman continued to tell his story like an epic. How Kunette, who barged into the office for its destruction, was appeased by a single bottle of elven honey and how he even managed to pet her head afterwards. Once the story was finished, Goldman s.h.i.+fted the conversation to the real topic of this call.

-So what is it? I a.s.sume you are planning to make an interesting offer if you’ve contacted me personally.

Goldman’s eyes were twinkling as he questioned Isaac, yet Isaac spoke back with detached look.

“Why don’t you invest in New Port City?”

-Hahaha, Isaac. I’m sorry to say, but investments are decided by the guild as a whole. No matter how close we are, I cannot decide on such topics on my own. Please understand.

Isaac wondered what close ties Goldman was even on about. The only time they’d even seen each other was when he was invited by Krent for a meal after graduation.

Isaac emotionlessly looked at Goldman as he spoke.

“If you’re trying to test me, then I am quite sad to hear those words. But if this is because you are truly oblivious, then I’m very disappointed in the Rivolden Merchant Guild’s information network.”

Goldman laughed loudly at Isaac’s words but soon wiped the smile off his face and replied back with a serious look.

-I think you misunderstand what I mean. I’m talking about the value in investing as a whole. No matter how much I try to look favourably, New Port City has nothing worth making an investment in.

“You are aware that Count Milros’s Family has joined hands with Port City for their merchant guild right?”

-Hmm, I do admit; that issue has been trouble for us lately.

“I’ll solve your problem in three years. As you know, I also have a reason to screw them over. Don’t you think that’s enough for an investment?”

-Hm. And your method?

“It’s a secret. There are too many people watching. But, if it goes well, I will destroy Port City.”

The operators were astonished at Isaac’s words. Here he was, blatantly announcing that he would destroy Port City while he’s in the Port City’s Communicator room.

-Hm, I think I will need a meeting first. This isn’t just a problem for Rivolden Merchant Guild. So how much investment do you want?

“1 million Giga.”

-1 million. I guess it could be possible to convince some of the guilds for that much. We now have extra funds to use, since we don’t need to spend on lobbying anymore.

A monthly wage for a middle cla.s.s family is 70 to 80 Giga. The operators were surprised at Goldman, who nodded nonchalantly at the sound of 1 million, but they also found it amazing that Isaac had the guts to demand 1 million out of thin air.

-I will send someone to you later, so send me the plans as to how you’re going to use the money.

“No.”

-Hm?

“If it ever leaks out, the plan will fail. I want you to invest in me with no questions asked”

-Hm, it will be difficult to convince the shareholders that way…

“You just told me that the funds that were used to prevent Port City’s attempts are leftovers now. If I fail, Port City will have a merchant guild in 3 years, so just think of it as using your lobbying funds on investment instead.”

-I guess some of the guilds would take the gamble and invest in you.

“Then I would like to hear from you soon.”

After the connection ended, Isaac pulled out a cigarette and got out of his chair.

“Now that money is sorted out, I need manpower and strength. How will I solve this?”

As he left the City Hall with the blank look from the operators behind him, Reisha approached Isaac with food held in both of her hands.

“You took longer than I thought.”

“…”

“W, what?”

Reisha felt the nostalgic feeling through her spine as Isaac silently looked at her. The feeling was the same as back then, and she stuttered backwards at the approaching omen.

“Hm, maybe there’s an unexpected way of solving this manpower issue.”

Isaac brought Reisha to the renowned restaurant in Port City. The waiter immediately ran toward Isaac to greet him when he appeared, since they had no choice. But the waiter couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Reisha standing next to him.

It wasn’t because she was an elf that surprised him. Port City is a well-known tourist destination; although not common, they do see some non-humans from time to time. What surprised the waiter was that the elf was following Isaac.

“W, welcome.”

“Can I really eat anything I want?”

“Yes. Go right ahead.”

“Wow! What’s happened to you? Buying me a meal like this?”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.”

‘It’s not like I’m paying for this anyway.’

Isaac muttered those words as he handed the menu to her with a facade of generosity.

The Egrino Merchant Guild that owned this restaurant was preparing to take Isaac’s incident to the court after what had happened. Instead, Isaac offered them a deal: allow him to use the restaurant for free, and he wouldn’t press charges. The Egrino Merchant Guild accepted, thinking that it wasn’t much of a price compared to how much the lawsuit would cost. So no matter how much Reisha ate, it had no impact on Isaac.

“Give me this too. Ah! This looks tasty as well!”

Reisha looked through the menu, ordering anything she had not seen before or looked tasty. It seemed the waiter was well aware of the elves’ voracious appet.i.te as the waiter kept calmly taking down the order.