HOW TO PROFIT FROM WAR
"He doesn't seem like someone who reads", another clerk told him.
"Why will he leave a book here", another asked.
"What do we do with the book?" the first clerk asked.
"Theories of growing Spinach?" the second clerk said as he took the book and threw it away.
"Why will the young master of Kaleon want to learn about growing spinach?"
"He's a bit crazy in the head, if you hear the rumors in the city."
As the clerks walked away, the book, Growing Spinach, flapped its book wings and flew into the warehouse.
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"General Manager Hagar, is this the reason you asked us to come here today? We have no more stock of grains to sell to you", the Trading manager of the House of Rauol asked Hagar.
"That is not a problem, we will buy from you in the future at the rate we determine now", Hagar told them.
"When can we deliver the grains to you?" the manager from Rauol asked Hagar.
"If we sign this agreement now, you must deliver in one week's time", Hagar told them.
"What if we could not supply the grains within seven days?" the house of Rauol asked Hagar.
"Then you will have to pay us a penalty amounting to 1% of the contract sum every day, payable on every day of default", Hagar told the manager.
"Those are harsh conditions", the manager told Hagar.
"It is up to you whether you want this contract or not. If not because our young Master insists on becoming the King of Grains in Staari city, I wouldn't execute such a contract with you", Hagar told the manager of the House of Rauol.
"We need some time to think about this", the manager asked Hagar.
"Fine, I'll give you one hour to think. I'll meet the manager of the House of Zambria in the next room but let me be clear, we have a quota on the amount of grains we buy. If the other houses signs with us first, then our deal is off", Hagar told the manager before he left to the next room.
"What do you think about this?" The manager of the House of Rauol asked his colleague after Hagar left the room.
"This Hagar is a fool. We heard from Gagarine, the merchant of Trogdol, that a large shipment of grains will arrive here in a week's time. By that time, the price of grains will plummet", he told the manager.
"Why is this Hagar buying from us at this high price now?" the manager asked.
"Didn't you hear Hagar himself say, it is their moron young master who insisted on this foolish scheme. He wants to corner the grains market when a huge supply comes on stream", the colleague told the manager.
"What will the other Trading Houses do?" the manager asked.
"If it was me, I would sign the contract right away. At the price these Kaleon fools offer for the grains, even if we are late for a month, we will still make plenty of profit from the sale", the colleague told Hagar.
"Fine, we will sign with them", the manager of the House of Rauol told his colleague.
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"Oriese, how did you collect almost a hundred million Aurs from all the trading houses in Staari city?" Orol asked me as he checked the trading house's accounts.
"The young master sold contracts to the other trading houses, offering to buy grains from them at high prices. The trading houses fail to fulfill their contract on time, so they pay us penalty on a daily basis to keep the contract active", Hagar told the master.
"I've heard that a large shipment of grains will come to Staari city soon from Trogdol kingdom, the price of grains will fall, and we will be forced to buy the grains from the other trading houses at high prices, we are doomed", Orol said to us worriedly.
"Didn't Hagar tell you yet?" I asked Orol.
"Tell me what? I went to Tarah city for two weeks and just came back today", Orol asked Hagar.
"The Trogdol merchant who spread news about the shipment of grains coming to Staari city is planned by the young master", Hagar told Orol.
"Do you mean there won't be a shipment of grain coming here soon?" he asked us.
"No, all the grains in Staari city are with us now, including the grains in the stores of the Church", Hagar told Orol to his surprise and shock.
"Even the Church sold all their grains to you?" Orol asked me.
"Yes, they will be moving out of Staari city soon", I told him.
"So, war is really coming", Orol said to me.
"What should we do now, young master Oriese?" Hagar asked me.
"Now, we start selling all our properties in Staari city, even our mansion", I told them to their surprise.
"Why?" Orol asked me.
"Because there will be war in Staari city. Properties would be worth nothing once the enemy marches in", I told him.
"But the other families will be suspicious if they find us selling our properties now?" Orol asked me.
"Why do you have to worry about that? The young master of Kaleon made a bad business decision, offering contracts to purchase grains at a high price and must now sell the family's properties to cover the loss", I told them.
"Did you plan for this all along?" Orol asked me.
"I did adjust my plans here and there depending on the news I got from the frontline. The demon army will be here in less than a month, we still have time to sell", I told them.
"Where are we going to go after we sell all our properties?" Hagar asked us.
"We move to Tarah city, the seat of the Conjurer's Court. The demon army wouldn't reach there so soon", I told them.
"What are we doing about the contracts with the other trading houses?" Orol asked me.
"We collect penalties from them everyday until war breaks out. By that time, the price of grain will be far higher than those in our contracts. We will seek compensation from them", I told Orol.
"If war breaks out, all the major Trading Houses in Staari city will bankrupt", Orol said to us as he pondered about the situation.
"The Kaleon family will become the biggest Trading House in all of Drachia kingdom", Hagar told us with an evil smile.
"That is provided we move our assets to Tarah city in time", I told them.
"What are we going to do about Gagarine, the Trogdol merchant? He asks us to supply grain to them to resell," Hagar asked me.
"We pay him a fat commission for spreading news about grain supply coming from Trogdol. We are honest businesspeople. But we won't be selling grains back to them", I told him.
"Yes, young master", Hagar replied to me.
"Hagar, you followed the young master's crazy schemes without stopping him?" Orol asked Hagar.
"The Young master's schemes are not crazy if we make profit out of it", he replied to the master.
"There is another thing. We should buy all the airships available for sale in the city and also from Tarah city", I told them.
"Why do you need a fleet of airships for?" Orol asked me.
"When war breaks out, the rich people of Staari city will want a ticket out of this city for themselves and their families. The price of tickets alone during the war will be more than enough to cover the price of our fleet. After this, we will also have an airline for free", I told them.
"Oriese, how did you learn to profit from war like this?" Orol asked me.
"Erm.. I learned it in school", I replied to him.
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The southern districts of the city teemed with destitute beggars and homeless individuals. This area constituted the urban slums, seldom frequented by children from respectable families. It served as a convergence point for filth and squalor, attracting the most undesirable elements of society.
Amidst this backdrop, a recently inaugurated inn attempted to carve out a niche in this disreputable neighborhood.
However, patrons did not flock to this establishment seeking fine dining or comfortable lodgings. No sensible person would consider staying in such an inn.
In reality, only those with nefarious intentions would venture into this area willingly. The inn, like the surrounding environs, became a haven for individuals engaged in less-than-honorable pursuits.
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A boy about sixteen years of age walked into the Inn of Wisdom all by himself. All around him were patrons of the inn who looked scary and nefarious.
Suddenly, a man with a large eye patch saw the boy and asked him, "What business do you have with the Inn of Wisdom?"
"Ermm… I came for a contract", he told the one-eyed man.
"Contract, hahaha, what kind of contract", the one-eyed man asked and laughed.
"I want someone dead", he replied to him.
"Hahaha, do you want us to kill your teacher for giving you too many homework?" the one-eyed man asked the boy laughingly while the rest of the patrons joined in the laughter.
"I want that Oriese dead", he replied to them.
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