The next morning, Carter hurried again to the store while it was still dark outside, opening the doors, he began cleaning the countertops and sweeping the floor while entertaining the idea of getting a helper.
It was exactly 6 am when he opened the doors and like the day before, customers began flocking in. When Sienna arrived at noon, he invited her to assist him with checkouts while he refilled the counters and took note of dwindling stock.
By the end of the day, Carter began to panic. The only reason sales were so high these days was the growing unrest among a people who didn't know for sure what was going to happen. Societal order had not yet fallen so there was no looting or riots yet, at the same time it wasn't exactly peaceful either since petty crime had increased. If the government was still functioning so efficiently and effectively, then it was because whatever trouble they were dealing with was not enough to destabilize them. It was either they could handle it or they couldn't and the worst of the panic was yet to come. In whichever case, it would end badly for him.
Sales were good but there was order in the store instead of looting because people were not yet desperate. While currency value had dropped and the value of essentials had risen, no one was throwing away their money just yet. It still had value. If things got better and people realized the panic was for naught, currency value would rise and prices of essentials would return to normal. On the other hand, if the situation deteriorated, his store would be looted and himself likely attacked. Whichever case, it wouldn't end well for him, the former would make completing his quest take too long and the latter would be fatal.
What could he do to capitalize on the situation? There wasn't much he could do to increase his immediate gains, however he could take advantage of the future. He could purchase all those things that had dropped in price, fancy devices, and gadgets, electrical vehicles, jewelry, and even branded clothing. A lot of things deemed 'non-essentials' by alarmed earthlings. The danger however was twofold, the government could take too long to clarify the situation, or they would never be able to. However, he chose to bet on his father and by extension the military surviving even if not winning.
Carter had no way to predict what was about to happen, he couldn't possibly have known how this insanely risky bet would change his life forever. In the control system behind the counter, he placed his orders, spending everything he had, both his savings and the business capital and earnings.
"Well. . . I think your idea is stupid" Sienna blanked at him when she learned what he had done.
"But you want to join in anyways?" Carter asked with a confused frown.
"Ten percent of the Store's shares" she replied with a nonchalant shrug.
"How much money do you have?" Carter frowned. Sienna was young, not stupid, she wouldn't ask for ten percent when giving some change.
Without saying anything, she pulled out her phone to show him her bank balance.
"How?!" Carter immediately exclaimed, the amount of money he saw, he had never owned, in fact, the family had never even imagined.
Declining to reply, Sienna simply stared at him, a smile on her lips as her face seemed to say, "You know how".
Carter blanked before asking cautiously. "You did that thing Mom and Dad warned you not to?"
For once, Sienna's expression became solemn and she said seriously.
"I trust you Carter, I trust your judgment even if you are wrong. You are my brother, not by blood but my brother. I ask you to trust me too. Some things one must do, not out of obligation to anyone but themselves. I was born this way, I must live the only way I know how, even if it means keeping it a secret from Mom and Dad"
Carter stared at her speechlessly for a long time. She was barely in the double digits!
"This secret..." he didn't continue because he didn't know what to say.
Sienna turned nervous, her eyes staring intently at him.
"You'll keep it?" she asked. However, Carter knew she wanted more than a promise of secrecy.
"I will, and I will support you, but you must never hide anything from me," he replied and Sienna visibly shrank in relief.
"I promise" she replied smiling. She wanted support and a shoulder to rely on. Carter had always been that for her. In a way, he was more her mother and father than her actual parents.
"I can't believe you made this much money though, what did you plan to do with it?" he asked.
"Nothing" Sienna shrugged, reverting to her nonchalant nature. A personality creeping up on the newest generation.
Carter shook his head at her before considering her offer.
[System Prompt: Store shares cannot be granted or traded. The Host must hold on to 100%]
"Umm, unfortunately, I can't trade the Store's shares," he said to Sienna who stared at him a long time.
"You have a secret too, don't you?" she asked with a scrutinizing squint.
"I-" Carter opened his mouth to say something but she quickly cut him off.
"Don't tell me. I trust you, tell me when it's time?" the last phrase sounded like a question and Carter unhesitatingly nodded.
"I'll do the transfer but you should hurry, whatever change the Federation will go through will happen in a few days. It won't take too long. I'll stock up on some things for us, just in case"
Two hours later...
[System Prompt: The Store has received a large amount of Capital Funds.]
[$100,000,000]
[Acknowledged that Funds are not Borrowed]
[No Interest is to be Paid]
[No Strings Attached]
[Host Rating has been increased to the maximum possible for this extraordinary feat. Please complete your Quest to enjoy System Benefits.]
"Jeez, Sienna, this is crazy" Carter exclaimed, still reeling in shock.
"I know, I actually didn't realize I had earned this much. Most of them are from incomplete contracts though so I still gotta work. But yeah, that's nutz"
Shaking his head at the realization that the shock was more for him than his baby sister, Carter didn't know how to feel. Simply attributing it to her not being fully aware of the value of money due to her young age, he went on to place his orders, at the same time renting a secure warehouse. A casual idea had blown past his expectations but the greatest shock was yet to come.