Chapter 50. Contract Established (2)
Things were getting chaotic for Caitlin, the regional director of the Golden Idol Guild in Seor. She was in a total panic after hearing about the odd light show near the market a few days back. The rumors of Isaac chasing Yukhar in the chaos had her worried sick, thinking it was all Yukhar’s doing.
Isaac and Yukhar were both acting out of character, and Caitlin was starting to realize this mess was going to affect her too. When merchants started ditching their ties with the Golden Idol Guild, Caitlin’s concern grew. She tried to reason with Vihik, who seemed down about the situation, but her lack of authority to control the merchants’ decisions left her feeling helpless.
The whole Loracus trade scene was crumbling fast, with traders pulling out left and right. Just when the market for Loracus was booming, suddenly everyone was pulling out, leaving Caitlin baffled. She couldn’t figure out why the sudden change in tides.
As the trend in Seor began to cool, other cities followed suit, causing a domino effect. Caitlin, who was trying to plan her exit strategy, was now sweating bullets as the market crashed. She warned Vihik about the consequences of breaking a contract, but Vihik remained calm, triggering another wave of worry for Caitlin. She didn’t want to punish a fellow corporation member, but she had to keep the traders in line to prevent a total collapse of the Loracus market.
Eh, Vihik was totally cool with taking some big losses to cancel the contract.
“Vihik, I thought you were deep in debt from that Loracus trade. Can you really handle all those penalties?”
“Well, I got paid a bit for those trades… and I had some personal stock that someone wanted to buy.”
“Someone actually wanted to buy in this frozen market full of Loracus sellers but no buyers?”
“Yep, surprisingly. Sure, I took a hit, but I’ll bounce back.”
“Who’s this mystery buyer?”
Caitlin started feeling a bit uneasy.
***
“Mr. Isaac!”
Caitlin hurried over to Isaac’s place where he was chowing down.
Isaac, cool as a cucumber, waited for breathless Caitlin to spill it.
“Hey, Director Caitlin. What’s up?”
“What’s the deal with a Grail Knight getting all merchanty in the market?”
Outside, Isaac’s agent, Jacquette, was buying up Loracus roots like crazy. Jacquette, who used to run errands for Yukhar, had the green light for market stuff and already had carts loaded with Loracus roots.
“Calling me a merchant is a bit much. I’m just lending a hand to those in a bind.”
“Helping, huh?”
“Yep. I heard the Lorucus frenzy has died down. No buyers, only sellers everywhere, causing an oversupply. Plus, with spring coming, everyone’s worried about unplanted Lorucus bulbs going bad.”
Isaac eyed Caitlin, arms crossed.
“Those folks were blinded by greed and blew their fortunes. They should own up. But if all the merchants go belly up, won’t it mess up the whole logistics scene? Since the Loracus madness messed things up already, it’s time to lay the groundwork for a comeback.”
Isaac was buying Loracus at regular prices with sneaky sanctuary funds to help out the merchants, even though they were gonna take massive losses. It was a tough call, but it set them up for recovery. Those stuck holding onto Lorucus would end up with nothing as their stock went bad.
Caitlin was speechless. Isaac’s argument made sense. She should’ve thought of that earlier.
If all the merchants went bust, the trade network would be toast. Losing those folks who supplied goods all over would hit the Golden Idol Syndicate hard. Despite the merchants’ greed, they needed a leg up.
But risking current stock for more Loracus? That was rough for any merchant. It meant tossing out the big profits from the Lorucus boom.
Then, it hit Caitlin.
‘Why’s the Holy Knight into Lorucus?’
Was it just charity? Maybe.
Isaac helping out at his own cost was noble. The merchants would sing his praises for sure.
Or was there more to it?
“Isaac, you wouldn’t…?”
“Wouldn’t what?”
“Plan to sell it back to us?”
Tears welled in Caitlin’s eyes as she asked. Isaac gave a small smile.
“Why not? I’m just a broke Paladin. How could I afford such do-gooder moves?”
Caitlin felt like she might pass out. The Golden Idol Guild had a solid stash of Loracus, but compared to the surplus in Seor’s market, it didn’t hold a candle. If other guilds started flooding Isaac with their Loracus in a panic, it would be a massive amount.
What if he sold the Loracus at the peak surge prices from a week ago?
‘Bankruptcy.’
It wasn’t just about losing the Loracus profits. The Seor branch could go under. Actually, the whole Golden Idol Guild might feel the aftershocks.
Struggling to catch her breath, Caitlin clutched her chair tightly.
Isaac handed her a glass of water. Caitlin gulped it down and gave Isaac a pleading look.
“Please help us out, Paladin.”
“I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.”
“We’re in over our heads. Completely…”
“Do you have what it takes to break a Golden Idol contract, Caitlin?”
Isaac asked, wiping his mouth, eyeing Caitlin.
Caitlin knew she didn’t have that kind of courage. The Golden Idol Guild had been her life’s work. Betraying them was unthinkable; she’d be cursed and ruined.
“No. Please, I’m begging you…”
“I think the Golden Idol Syndicate still has some cards to play.”
Caitlin started to see some clarity then. The shock had clouded her judgment, but Isaac was right; they could still do something.
But it would come at a hefty price.
She fought back tears and lowered her head.
“Got it. Thanks for the advice. So, what about the Loracus you bought…”
“Just so you know, there’s more than what you see out there.”
Isaac had already secured warehouses for the Loracus. Caitlin felt another wave of dizziness, but there was no time to waste. She hurried out of the building.
Once Caitlin left, she instructed her secretary.
“Buy up all the Loracus available now! Right away!”
“What? Loracus? But at what cost…”
Caitlin shot a fierce look at her secretary and demanded,
“Make sure it’s a higher price than what the Holy Knight would pay!”
A month later, on the agreed day with Isaac, the Golden Idol Guild absorbed most of the available Loracus in Seor’s market at slightly above the pre-surge prices. They rented every warehouse in town to store the Loracus, averting a disaster that could’ve destroyed the guild. But Isaac still held a significant amount. So, when Isaac visited the guild branch, Caitlin had to greet him looking particularly worn out.
“You’re here, Sir Isaac.”
“You seem exhausted, Caitlin.”
“I haven’t slept in three days… Calculating our losses, figuring out our next steps, reaching out for help everywhere…”
She said almost pleadingly.
Isaac smiled at Caitlin’s condition.
Seemed pointless to ask if she was prepared.
The Golden Idol Guild was strict about keeping its promises, especially when it involved the guild’s name. Though no one knew the full extent, some higher-ups were surely keeping an eye on this unprecedented situation.
“When I worked out the stock amount you mentioned, using the Loracus prices from a month back, it came to around this much,” Caitlin said, handing over some papers with calculations. Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the numbers, realizing the staggering sum that could catch anyone off guard, even the elite. It was almost equivalent to the yearly budget of a grand estate.
Isaac didn’t bother double-checking the figures. In a deal under the Golden Idol’s name, there couldn’t be any room for error. He simply knew it was a ridiculously large amount, so he didn’t bother verifying it.
“So, the Golden Idol guild will cover this sum, and I’ll provide all the Loracus stock I possess. Deal finalized,” Isaac stated.
“Indeed…”
“Great.”
“Yes, the contract is set.”
Caitlin and Isaac reiterated the terms. A golden aura surrounded the contract, giving off an almost sentient presence. Yet, the deal wasn’t entirely sealed. The contract’s power would shield Isaac until he received the payment.
“Ready to go collect the money? It’s stored in the vault. We can bring a carriage and…”
Isaac remained seated, fixing his gaze on Caitlin.
“Sir Isaac?”
“With this kind of money, it’s not easy to move around,” Isaac remarked.
Caitlin looked at him as if he stated the obvious – turning that sum into gold coins could literally flatten someone.
Isaac cast a sympathetic look at Caitlin and teased, “Having trouble catching my drift?”
“Pardon? What… Oh. Oh? Ah, you mean…”
Caitlin’s eyes widened as she caught on. A sudden burst of energy, unexpected in someone who hadn’t slept for days, surged within her.
Isaac, holding the paper Caitlin provided, announced, “I’ll invest this entire sum in the Golden Idol Guild. In return, I ask the guild to aid me by granting access to its resources for all my future ventures.”
These resources encompassed the guild’s network, transportation, accommodations, and more scattered throughout the continent.
Isaac didn’t forget to add one crucial detail, “We’ll negotiate the interest separately.”
