The Demon Realm Stock Company might sound like a trade organization born in the depths of the Demon Realm, but it’s actually quite the contrary.
It’s a proud imperial trade organization, though the term “trade organization” feels a bit off since it’s more like a quasi-governmental body created with imperial budget for managing the Demon Realm.
It was established to break through the strong trade bans in the Demon Realm, which had severely impacted gem imports and brought cutting-edge industries to a halt by facilitating private smuggling.
Heavy imperial influence fills this Merchant Alliance.
Yet, its scale is akin to that of a sub-national entity.
Ultimately, after the conquest of the Demon Realm, it monopolized and managed rights such as the mineral rights of gem mines, making it a bit light on the term “trade organization.” There were times when the United Kingdom had to dismiss reform ministers due to the company’s pressure.
As time passed, they attempted a few coups against the empire but got blacklisted, although their influence and power remain intact.
However, saying it has more money than the entire budget of Sky Island was a tale from its heyday. It’s not quite that strong anymore.
No matter how toothless the United Kingdom might seem, it is still a nation. With long-term investments in engineering steadily growing, as the company seemed more and more irrelevant, the company’s profits continued to decline.
While they’ve been innovating by providing safe smuggling routes and making profits from it, results as a Merchant Alliance remain unsatisfactory.
It’s their primary business to return to their roots, but offering smuggling services seems a bit pathetic for a sub-national entity. The income is very good, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to do it.
In the end, even if they returned to their original intentions and made innovations, their golden age is over. That true golden age of being able to hand over military equipment to radical groups among the demons and support them in terrorizing imperial trade organizations without issue is a thing of the past.
“But if they borrow credit on top of their assets, they’ve got cash that far exceeds the total budget of Sky Island.”
Troubling.
Pastel walked while fiddling with her lollipop. A line of administrative staff in suits followed her. The sound of footsteps filled the hallway.
The railroad business is worthy of investment enough to drain their assets. But it’s also true that it’s too in the realm of high-tech to feel the objective viability of the project.
There’s plenty of room for misjudgment on property value.
“Show me the company’s last quarter report.”
The administrative staff immediately pulled it out of their briefcase and handed it over. Pastel skimmed through the company’s accounting report.
Revenue, total assets, and total liabilities stood out in the details. As the name suggests, the Demon Realm Stock Company publishes its books every quarter since it’s a leading stock company.
It mentioned that cash assets somewhat decreased after purchasing real estate on Sky Island last quarter.
The report’s detailed explanation indicated that with the admission of Marquis Craft, Sky Island would gain importance, hence the additional investment. It also noted they hastily bought the upcoming low points of real estate that had plummeted after an academy terror incident.
“Real estate investment sounds good.”
Stable and consistent.
Though it does feel a bit strange to prepare for purchasing the railroad organization.
Pastel was suspicious of the relationship between the company and Empire Bank.
Specifically, could this be a collusive auction? Are we just being treated as unwanted guests? She expressed a reasonable suspicion.
When she asked Elly, who was more familiar with the Demon Realm than anyone, she provided responses through dense reports.
“Empire Bank definitely intends to bankrupt the railroad organization. I don’t know if they prepared a series of plans to sell it to the company, but they do have the motivation.”
“Isn’t the motivation sufficient?”
“If they hold the railway construction rights owned by the organization, it will make things convenient for the Empire. The United Kingdom doesn’t grant construction rights to imperial organizations, you see. If the Empire Bank or the royal family has the Demon Realm Stock Company owning it, it would ease their future interference in the Demon Realm.”
Though the way Elly expressed this carried heavy biases against the Empire, it seemed correct that Empire Bank had intentionally bankrupted the organization.
The company’s accounting report claimed they increased investment because Sky Island would be significant, but Empire Bank unilaterally recalled loans, declaring future investments risky, leading to bankruptcy.
If one of them is wrong, it likely indicates that Empire Bank may have lied for strategic reasons.
If Empire Bank is calculative, the company likely is too, so could it really be a collusive auction?
Now, it makes sense why it’s an auction and not a sale. No organization would take on the risk of vendettas against the company while engaging directly. They probably intended to shift the rights through an auction to gain political cover.
The railroad construction rights we handed over to the company wasn’t a sign of intending political interference; an auction just happened to come up, and it accidentally ended up with the company. It was merely a coincidence; no such intentions were present.
Maybe she felt slightly guilty about this.
But she wasn’t about to let this slip easily.
A sudden feeling of being watched arose from slightly behind her.
“Don’t bite the candy.”
The demon, tapping his cheek with a finger, admonished her.
Without answering, Pastel locked eyes with the red-eyed demon before turning back. The suited officials were trailing a distance behind.
Looking ahead, she noticed the closed main doors of the banquet hall. Well-dressed gentlemen and ladies gasped in surprise. The crowd parted left and right.
They burst through the main door and entered the banquet hall.
A herald hurriedly called out while verifying invitations from other nobles.
“Presenting Her Grace, Pastel Lovecraft, the Marquis!”
Chandeliers, tables, candleholders, and drapes with framed paintings.
Between them stood many people.
An untold number of gazes converged.
The unwanted guest Craft makes an entrance.
She smiled broadly.
Tension filled the banquet hall.
She casually handed over her finished candy stick to a passing waiter and leisurely surveyed the surroundings of the banquet hall.
In an area that seemed to occupy a third of the hall, Melissa and her party gathered. As she approached, Melissa, placing down her wine glass, greeted her warmly.
“You arrived just in time. The banquet is nearly over. Soon, there will be a presentation about the organization that’s up for sale.”
“Have you checked the atmosphere? Are we really unwelcome guests or not?”
“Melissa was busy greeting guests; it was Elshire who did that.”
Elly pointed towards Elshire with her wine glass.
Elshire halted mid-bite of the sausage she’d speared with a fork.
“Yeah, that was me.”
“What was it like?”
“Definitely an unwelcome guest.”
She pointed her finger around the banquet hall. People that seemed to be from Empire Bank and the company were mixed in.
We were a stark contrast to them, gathered separately in our space.
“They’re chatting actively among themselves about the auction, but they don’t engage with us. Even if I join, they only discuss Bellamont.”
That sounds about right.
Yet, Melissa looked slightly taken aback by that response.
“That’s probably because Bellamont lacks experience at banquets and misinterpreted things. Being too direct about business discussions among nobles is a bit disrespectful.”
Melissa can be quite blunt sometimes, but more often subtly so.
“In comparison, it seems most of the folks from the company are commoners. They can speak comfortably.”
Oh, I see.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean we aren’t unwelcome guests. I heard from others that Empire Bank was caught off guard. With auctions, having many competitors would be advantageous for the bank, so it’s quite strange.”
Nods all around.
Predictable indeed.
Pastel glanced towards the area belonging to the company.
“Where’s the chairman?”
“Well…”
Melissa hesitated.
Elly shrugged her shoulders.
“He hasn’t arrived yet.”
Oh, I see.
Pastel felt a bit sulky.
They’ve lost this round of face-off.
The banquet hall doors swung open.
“Presenting His Excellency, Count McKenna Pembroke!”
A sturdy middle-aged man led a group into the hall. Scanning the room, he quickly found the striking pink hair and made a beeline toward Pastel.
“Nice to meet you for the first time, Marquis Craft. I am McKenna Pembroke, the executive in charge of the Demon Realm Stock Company.”
A rugged hand extended toward her.
Pastel, noticing the shaking of the pink eyes, couldn’t help but stare at the gleaming adornments on his outstretched hand.
Gold rings sparkled from his fingers—there were more fingers adorned than not! Furthermore, a lavish gold bracelet adorned his wrist.
Melissa appeared slightly appalled, as if she had seen something grotesque, only to quickly compose herself.
In stark contrast, Pastel found herself unable to respond to the handshake and inhaled sharply. She examined him with trembling eyes.
Closer inspection revealed a splendid outfit featuring a black base entwined with gold patterns, complete with a gold necklace.
Hooh.
Wow.
This is.
This is…
Gold rings, gold bracelets, gold necklaces.
Black and gold.
Hooah!
It’s a level of extravagance that I could never reach!
Pastel felt her spirit rapidly deflate.
It wasn’t about admonishing him for being a count who initiated the handshake without due customs.
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