I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 387: Ponzi scheme (1)
In international politics and diplomacy, the happiness of others often comes to me as misfortune.
The more the Rothschild family and the Toscani Empire thrive, the more the Holy Roman Empire writhes in pain, the Kingdom of Lyon weakens, and the Sultanate withers away like an old tree slowly dying from a drug addiction.
Some might ask if my conscience is ever bothered by these actions.
‘This is the logic of statecraft.’
The destruction of other countries is the hope of the Toscani Empire.
“Is it okay to leave work early today?”
As soon as I said that, I slapped my hand over my mouth.
Whether in novels, dramas, or anime, or even in reality, whenever you say “nothing seems to be happening today,” a bombshell of work always follows.
It’s like how if you drop a piece of bread, it’ll always fall with the peanut butter or jam side down, or how my friend doesn’t call attendance when there’s a class cancellation, but the one time I take a “voluntary day off,” the professor will definitely call attendance.
I’ve heard that’s why firefighters, police officers, and medical professionals get scolded when they say something like that.
“Don’t say such ominous things,” they get told.
“I should probably head home soon.”
I need to shake off this bad premonition by heading to Erika, who’ll grudgingly offer her knee for me to rest my head on, or maybe I’ll go ask Chloe to pamper me with a long-overdue bath, or ask Chris, while dressed in a suit...
But just as I was hurrying to adjust my clothes, Sebastian entered my room, his face stern, serious, and strict.
Actually, his expression was no different from usual.
It seemed like an early departure was out of the question, so it probably just looked that way.
Damn it, if I hadn’t made that ominous remark, I’d be home resting peacefully by now.
This is exactly why people say I’m the source of disaster.
Well, an on-time departure isn’t so bad either.
“What’s going on, Sebastian?”
“It’s not anything too serious, but it seems that the Kingdom of Lyon has started issuing stocks. People’s psychology makes them want to copy what others are doing well, but I didn’t expect them to start mimicking us so soon.”
Sebastian is an incredibly competent person.
But he doesn’t have the foresight like Princess Teresa, who seems able to predict events centuries ahead.
If Teresa were here, she’d probably say this with a very serious expression:
“The Kingdom of Lyon has started issuing stocks! If we leave it as it is, their national power could grow tremendously!”
Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
How dare they issue stocks?
“Damn it, they’re already learning about stocks?”
“My lord?”
“I was thinking of leaving early today, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. A much more serious issue has arisen.”
“So what if they’ve started issuing stocks?”
“This is a very serious problem.”
If I don’t take proper action, the Kingdom of Lyon’s national power will grow exponentially. frёewebηovel.cѳm
And won’t that be a disaster for the Toscani Empire and the Rothschild family?
“Sebastian, what do you think is the biggest advantage of stocks?”
“Well, it makes it easier to gather money, doesn’t it? Even poor people can raise startup funds if they have exceptional skills, a great eye for business, or game-changing ideas. All they need to do is convince people.”
“That’s just a secondary benefit. The real advantage is that the capital held by the high-ranking individuals circulates rapidly through the system because of stocks.”
In the 21st century, Earth produces enough food for every human to eat their fill.
Yet, famine has never truly disappeared in human history since the dawn of time.
It’s not because the poor are lazy, obviously.
Anyone who claims the poor live that way because they’re lazy must have noodles for brains instead of a brain.
In reality, the problem is that surplus food isn’t properly distributed.
And what about money? Does it work on a different principle?
No, it works the same way.
‘Europe developed thanks to the faster circulation of currency brought about by stocks.’
In the East, where the stock system didn’t exist, the capital of the high-ranking individuals didn’t circulate properly, so the fuel necessary for progress wasn’t supplied in time.
“If my family and I each hoarded 10 tons of wheat, it would all rot away. But what if we leave just enough for ourselves, distribute the rest, and use workers to cultivate new land?”
“By next year, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} we’ll have 12 to 13 tons instead of 10. Your family will be richer, the workers will get food, and more people will benefit.”
“If this happens on a national scale, just like the Toscani Empire, it can achieve tremendous growth in a short period of time.”
“It’s not a good thing for the future enemy, the Kingdom of Lyon, to become stronger. As you said, we need to take some measures.”
The way money circulates is what makes this so dangerous.
Of course, some cultists might come to the conclusion that:
‘Since the circulation of money is important, let’s stab the rich with spears to redistribute it!’
At first, it might seem good, but as everyone becomes rich and money floods the market, inflation will skyrocket.
Even if you receive 1 billion won, the improvement won’t be as significant.
Strangely enough, this is the reality.
Zimbabwe once raised the denomination of its currency so high, issuing bills of 10 trillion or even 10 quadrillion, only for the currency to become worthless, barely even used as toilet paper.
“What if we cause a commotion somewhere? Even if the Kingdom of Lyon rushes to improve workers’ rights, there will still be limits, and if they mobilize someone like Marx, they could easily incite one or two major riots.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
Causing a riot in the Kingdom of Lyon won’t delay the introduction of the beneficial stock system.
So we need a more fundamental solution.
I quietly folded my hands together and began thinking reverently, praying to Deus—or, rather, to the wisdom of the US and the UK.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
‘If I were an employee of the East India Company, or if I were American...’
By following the wisdom of the most successful people in the world, I was sure I’d find a solution.
Newton himself once said that the reason he achieved great scholarly feats was because he stood on the shoulders of giants.
As I continued pondering, I came to a realization.
I had found the solution to all of this.
“Sebastian, how much money can our family mobilize?”
“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“I’m thinking of using it for a good cause. A very good cause, so you don’t need to worry.”
If you just listen to what I’m saying, it sounds like the conversation between a bad husband, Fabio, who spends all the family money on gambling, and a wife, Sebastian, who’s trying to stop him.
But that’s not the case.
Sebastian didn’t look disgusted. He was simply looking at me with genuine curiosity.
Yes, I’m talking about something good.
“How much can we mobilize? Roughly, around 1 million gold coins.”
If another family could mobilize 1 million gold coins, the head of the house might cry with joy, proud of how powerful their family is.
But for our family, 1 million gold coins is nothing.
It’s not pocket change, but we can still become stronger.
“Sebastian, not just the legal funds we can mobilize. How much can we raise right now? I’m talking about selling everything the family owns, except for the trading company headquarters, branch buildings, and the Rothschild mansion.”
Sebastian opened his eyes wide and asked back.
“What are you thinking?”
“Doesn’t the Kingdom of Lyon seem to be getting too bold? They’re starting to act like they own the place.”
In truth, they hadn’t really done anything reckless.
They had simply issued stocks to stimulate their economy and threaten the position of the Toscani Empire.
How audacious can they be?
The economic backbone of the Toscani Empire is me, and they dare challenge that?
In a world without international law, if the wisdom of the United States and the UK is brought into play, I need to show them what will happen.
‘Of course, no one can know I’m behind it.’
It will be seen as the work of an enigmatic figure, but does that matter?
The important thing is that those who challenge my hegemony will meet an inexplicable death.
“We can mobilize about 3.24 million gold coins. I know you said to sell real estate, but if we do that, we’ll be caught. Unless the family is in danger, I’m against withdrawing such a huge sum all of a sudden.”
“That’s enough.”
That’s enough money. A little exaggeration, and it’s close to a small country’s entire annual budget.
With this much ammunition, we can run a scam against a country.
“Shall we have a little fun with our stocks?”
