(A.N) alright alright, I know you came for drugs and whatever and this doesn't fit in. I mean, it's a slice of life, for crying out loud. But please do read this chapter because it's essential to the plot progression and the world-building. Some things said here will be used in the future. Alright, back to the chapter, peace ✌️! Hint: Argent will be very important in the future... teehee 🤭
—————————
2 months into the training
———————————————————————————————————————————-
"...up. Wake up, Min" (???)
"H-huh? Oh, Katja, what are you doing so early? It's only 4:30 a.m"
"Sir Dunn is request all of the heroes to report to training ground immediately. Reason is 'special training'"
"Haaah, thanks Kat"
"N-no need for thanks, Min"
The one who just woke me up was my maid, Katja. She a pretty simple person and I almost didn't have to try to get into her maid dress. Usually, when Dunn calls everyone super early, it's because there is some sort of special training. Something that not even the athletic hunk in our hero group, Park Jae-ho, would appreciate.
He started doing this special training about 2 months into our summoning. Right now it's the 69th day in this new continent.
After getting up, I go to the showering quarters where instead of a water-pipe system, it uses an aqua crystal that, when activated by pressing the attached button to add some mana into it, will eject water. Regular crystals can last up to 5 years with regular use.
This is just my regular day. Getting up, showering, eating breakfast, going to the training grounds, eat, learn, training grounds, eat, training grounds, sleep with Katja, repeat. And sometimes, play around with Aria. Though, it is getting more sparse because of the politics and economics of fighting the demon king, it is still every 2 weeks, so I'm not complaining.
[Allllrighttt~ heroes, let me hear who is ready for today's specialll~ training??!]
""us""
[...ughh, fine then! Repeat after me... ahem, YES, YES, YES! Oh my god...]
""...yes, yes, yes. Oh my god..."
[...haaahh, that's fine too. Alrighty, warm-up time. Do a lap jogging round' the track]
This usually how training starts, Dunn saying some dumb lines like 'yes, yes, yes. Oh my god...' and 'you thought it was Damien... but it was me, Dunn!'.
After running the lap, everyone is already stretched out and ready for the real training. Weightlifting 200 kgs for the strength-based heroes, 100 kgs for speed and 75 for magic casters.
What... you thought that we were grouped into genders? Damn bigot...
[OKAY! That's good enough weight training for today... now it's time for endurance! 20 laps with 50 kgs weights, go go go!!!]
"Hey oppa, d'ya think this was easier than before?" (Chung-cha)
"Ehhh~ I'm pretty sure it's much easier... didn't you stop running after the 12th lap?"
"Ah- hey!" (Chung-cha)
"I think Min-chul's right. I feel so much stronger than before... like I can wake up strong, ya'know?" (Hana)
"That... is true. I do feel that sometimes" (Ha-neul)
"Un un" (Anna)
"What about you, Do-yun oppa?" (Hana)
"Uhhh... I guess it's fine..." (Do-yun)
'Hmmm, I remember the first time we did this we couldn't even spare a breath to talk since we were panting so much... I guess we did get stronger'
'But also... Do-yun is acting a little off. Usually he's pretty lively but it seems like he has something bothering him... okay, his Disposition is 'Uncomfortable, Furious'. Furious at what? How... curious'
'I think I should watch him for the next few days... I mean, it doesn't hurt to know, right?'
Finishing up with the weights and stamina training, we immediately take a carriage to the most famous academy, Sheppard Academy.
Usually, we would have a private teacher and a room just for us. However, some high ranked nobles from the Capitol made a request. Apparently, they wanted their kids to sit in with us so they can see how the heroes learn and their regular lessons.
"Alllrighty~, so heroes, we have some visitors todayy~. Meet your new classmates, Cristian Owen Cornelius Kingston Le Maître, Bella Isabella Trisabella Crisabella Hisabella Putain..."
In total, around 15 students joined us with the lowest ranked parent being a department head of the finance bureau while the highest ranked one is duke. Despite their high status, it seems like they still respect the heroes a lot... though only the good looking ones.
Literally, when they came up to our rows to shake our hands, the girls only shook Do-yun's, mine's and some of the athletic kids' hands. Meanwhile, the boys mostly shook Hana, Ha-neul, Chung-cha's and Anna's hand. One of the guys even bowed down to take a closer look at Ha-neul's badonkers.
Today's lesson was about the current politics of Gwanya and how they are thriving without a defined leader. I don't know what I'd do with that knowledge but I'd better keep it in mind in case so I wrote it down in my notebook.
My notebook's cover made from yalno hide and the paper is from the leaves of the Gladblad Tree so its a very sturdy and smooth write. The pencil is just a metal handle with a rather large inkstone that would last me around 15 years with regular use. On the front are the words 'KMC' and the maker, Sheppard Schoolworks.
With over 200 pages, it's pretty thick but very useful in case I need to take something down. And plus, it can be attached to the belt of my clothes so it isn't too much of a burden.
Riding on the comfy carriage, I start recalling the lesson about Gwanya and how they function with the weakest military force yet the highest wealth. Apparently, they are able to do this by being a completely neutral force in the continental scale, only being a business-minded nation, favoring the highest bidder.
The only time Gwanya raises their 10,000 man army is when the Demon King is reborn and threatens their profits.
There was even a rumor going around that one of the most famous weapons seller, Lambert Blacksmiths, sold weaponry to both Restinasia, Destinasia, Gwanya, Kameh and the previous Demon King's army, which boosted their income that year by almost 5000%, making the founders of Lambert Blacksmiths, the Lambert Family, them the 3rd richest gold billionaires on this continent briefly before dropping down to 4th and holding that position until now.
Even if they deny it, how else would they make 5000% more than before if they didn't sell to both sides? Oh what? Restinasia ordered 500 times more weaponry and armor than their regular orders? What a joke...
The reason no massive military powers like Restinasia and Kameh don't attack Gwanya and steal its gold is because... most of their gold isn't in Gwanya. Seriously.
Apparently, their gold is stashed in the Far South borders which happens to be directly in Demon King territory. They apparently have a treaty with the Demon Country named E Mo Zhi Di, in that Gwanya merchants and professionals are the only people to be allowed into E Mo Zhi Di but only for business and collecting gold from the vault.
In return for letting Gwanya store their gold in E Mo Zhi Di, users of the Argent World Bank Vault (Argent WoB Vault) pay a fee of 0.2% of their stored gold to the E Mo Zhi Di.
The only reason Mrs. Uria is able to tell us this without the interference of the Lamberts is because Sheppard has the backing of the nation. And plus, Sheppard Academy even congratulated Lambert Blacksmiths for being one of the best money-making monopolies during that time.
The bigger monopolies like South Danlia and Lambert have subsidiaries in E Mo Zhi Di but, Lambert is the only company brave enough to make direct deals with the Demon King's army. There have been cases of an extremely xenophobic demon king many thousands of years ago but nowadays, most demons and demon royalty are willing to trade with humans as long as they aren't treated unfairly.
This is why Gwanya is so feared. If Gwanya were to be attacked and pillaged, they'd call upon the demons for support. If Gwanya and its citizens wanted to give a big 'FUCK YOU' to the world for being invaded, they'd tell the staff working at the vault to ship all of the gold to the demon king to fund their projects and make counterfeit coins using their factories and flood the markets with fake coins, dropping the gold value immensely.
Plus, there isn't a valid reason to attack them anyways. Argent Financial Services, A.K.A Argent World Bank (Argent WoB) is the main bank in not just Gwanya, but the ENTIRE CONTINENT. And guess where their H.Q is... yes, it's in Gwanya... guess who owns the 2 largest mansion in Gwanya... yes, it's the families who founded Argent, the Basset family and the Durand family.
Remember when I said that when Lambert Blacksmiths sold weaponry to the Demon King's army, they were the 3rd richest family for a while? Guess who were, and still are, number 1 and number 2...
Oh? You're a country but don't want the Argent WoB in your country? Might aswell consider financial suicide since Argent can literally stop trade going to your borders. They can force other countries to make laws that allow enslavement of your citizens.
They will literally go into your city, throw fake gold coins around and set up roadblocks to make sure none of your citizens can use those fake coins in other countries.
They control the conglomerates of this continent. And when you control the conglomerates, you control the kings. Control the kings, control the country. And control the country... you can force the world to rely on you. If father was here, he'd have a massive boner looking at their business plan.
They have a fucking army of 15000 veteran soldiers guarding their vaults around the continent and their various branches. A. Fucking. Army. For a damn bank. To put that into perspective, a company's army is 15% of the army their home country owns. That's like Goldman Sachs having a militia of 300,000 fully trained and equipped soldiers.
Demons? Argent.
Humans? Argent.
Beastkin? Argent-a-roo.
Hotel? Trivago... just kidding, it's Argent. Argent probably lent a loan to that hotel.
They aren't just a conglomerate. They ARE the conglomerate.
The reason Argent was allowed to grow so big was because most of the large companies around have centuries of history and connections to their respective dukes and kings. With their connections, they basically disallowed any anti-monopoly laws so they could grow to what they are today.
Again displaying father's 6th law of life,"money makes the world go round. Take advantage of this and and you will be able to make the world turn whichever direction you wish."
And the 7th law of life, "Do not underestimate the greed of man. Dangle a bait, they catch it without reason. Use assets, allies and money to make more assets, allies and money".
Some perks of Argent included 100% guaranteed secrecy on where your money is stored, when you deposit and withdraw money and a special code that only you know. Should be good for ill gotten gains from nobles and companies.
Going back to the palace, I lie on my bed while controlling the flames in my hand. The spell I'm using is a highly advanced spell, 'Hellfire'. It's basically fire, but hot even to melt anything that comes into contact with it. Useful but, hard to control. I have been getting better however and can now use it in my room without much precaution. Though, it does take a substantial amount of mana to control.
The only thing I'm looking forward to right now though is some 'cleaning' from my maid, Katja.