SCT-Novel Chapter 124:
Chapter 124:
Chapter 124:
Stocks (2)
***
“I can calculate the movement of celestial bodies, but not the madness of people.”
This was what the genius Isaac Newton said just before he lost most of his fortune in the stock market.
The man who laid the foundation of physics uttered these words, highlighting the fearsome nature of stocks.
Of course, physics and economics are distinctly different fields, so it’s partly understandable. Still, Newton’s statement made stocks even more notorious.
Many people tend to think of stocks as gambling. This is somewhat true because no one knows how things will turn out in the world.
A other things.
In extreme cases, such as with Korea and Japan, the entire economic foundation of a country could collapse, leading to major fluctuations.
Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the current situation. In other words, regularly reading newspapers is essential.
It was lunchtime when we all decided to visit the stock exchange. We gathered at the agreed time.
“By the way, Grace, you come from a ducal family. Doesn’t the Duke invest in stocks?”
Antonio asked Grace. It was a purely innocent question without any ulterior motive.
Grace glanced at Antonio and answered in a calm voice.
“Stocks are just a part of it. The profits depend on what minerals come out of the territory and what the invested land yields.”
“So, the most important thing is the land.”
Real estate has always been a powerful and profitable asset throughout history.
The wider the territory and the richer its resources, the more powerful and wealthy one becomes.
Grace’s family, the Berche Dukedom, controls the Empire’s major granaries, holding significant power and wealth.
“By the way, Sivar.”
“?”
“Are you really planning to spend that much money?”
Grace asked, having calculated all the checks. She asked this because of the checks in my hand.
The amount withdrawn from the bank was a whopping 1 million silver coins, equivalent to 1 billion won.
Carrying that much cash was nearly impossible, so I took it in checks instead.
The checks were divided into 100,000 silver coin denominations, and I planned to diversify my investments.
Ah, by the way, Rize was absent when I went to the dorm to get the passbook.
“Just let him be. He’s quite stubborn and rarely changes his mind once he decides. He probably has little sense of economics too.”
Kara answered on my behalf, showing a half-giving-up attitude.
When I said I’d withdraw 1 million silver coins in checks from the bank, Kara strongly objected.
She said I could lose it all, warned me to think it through multiple times, etc.
Despite her objections, I boldly printed out the checks. In fact, this was me being cautious.
‘If I had said I’d invest everything, she would have stopped me.’
Kara didn’t break my stubbornness under the pretext of ‘experience.’
If I had withdrawn 3 million silver coins, she would have immediately called Rize and Rod.
If that happened, I’d lose the chance to make money forever. I had my own schemes too.
“Moreover, with his ability, he can easily make 1 million. Just a few hunts in the forest would do.”
“Well, that’s true.”
As Kara said, hunting in the Forest of Chaos a few times would easily make money.
It’s just a hassle. Moreover, since I’m marking my territory, it’s awkward to bring back by-products.
“But Luna.”
“Yes?”
“Are you really planning to buy the same stocks as Sivar?”
Grace asked Luna next.
While I was counting the checks, Luna was counting each silver coin.
Although not as poor as Jane, she was quite tight recently due to being blocked from entering the Forest of Chaos.
“Yes. I’ll invest in the same stocks as Sivar.”
“Hmm. Why?”U//ppTodated fr/o/m
“If you’re asking why...”
Luna hesitated and glanced at me. I could roughly guess what she was thinking.
But she couldn’t say it outright. So, Luna shrugged and answered nonchalantly.
“Just a feeling, I guess?”
“A feeling... Do you trust Sivar? It’s his first time too, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm...”
Luna’s simple answer made Grace glance at me.
Even though she designated me as her escort, she seemed to think this wasn’t right. Well, I’d think the same.
Since I couldn’t explain it now, I kept my mouth shut. I just hoped there wouldn’t be any weird misunderstandings.
“If you lose all your money, don’t blame Sivar. Got it?”
Kara warned Luna with a hint of threat, worried she might blame me if her investment failed.
Though they’re close, Kara is sensitive about money, hence the warning.
“You don’t have to worry about that. If you don’t trust Sivar, why don’t you buy the same stocks as him?”
“....”
But Luna responded with a confident smile and a bold voice.
At her retort, Kara flinched. Then, she looked at me with a complicated expression.
Despite trusting me, this seemed hard to believe. There was no reason to trust me.
‘Still, Tatars will gain a significant profit, so it’s fine.’
It’d be better if Kara chose something different from me. It could become a political issue.
Buying stocks in a guild just before a Mana Stone mine is discovered? It could spark controversy.
Even if I explained it as a coincidence, Tatars might not trust me that much yet. I confirmed this last time.
“...I’ll decide after seeing today.”
That’s likely. The Matra Empire is a very stable country.
Capital always flows to safe places. Even Santiago, with its advanced science, suffers from instability due to terrorism and outlaws.
“Alright. Let’s buy. As I said, I’ll help if you suffer losses. Just this once.”
“Okay.”
“Sister, we can trust Sivar. There’s nothing to lose.”
“I should ignore you if you suffer losses.”
“Huh? Why?”
Let’s move on from Luna’s innocent misunderstanding. I chuckled inwardly as I headed to the empty Tatars section.
“What stock...?”
“All of them.”
“Huh?”
“Buy them all.”
I spread my 1 billion won investment across all Tatars-related stocks.
The staff looked stunned by my bold purchase. They kept asking if I was sure.
Each time, I nodded confidently. The staff, though uncertain, issued the stock certificates.
“Sivar, this is it, right?”
Luna seemed to have received her stock certificate too. She showed it to me, asking for confirmation.
Though she trusted me, she still looked anxious.
“Yes. Trust me.”
“Hehehe.”
Luna, already excited at the thought of making a fortune, smiled brightly.
She’d have a tough time ahead, so she might as well be happy now. I glanced at my stock certificate.
“You really bought them. Don’t cry if you lose all your money.”
Kara, who didn’t expect me to actually buy, spoke in a worried tone.
Then, as if remembering something, she whispered quietly.
“Actually, crying might not be so bad... I could comfort you while hugging...”
“I won’t cry.”
There’s no reason to cry.
Kara looked surprised, not expecting me to hear. Her flustered face looked quite cute.
In the meantime, I glanced at the Granada section. I noticed Antonio buying the stocks he had pre-selected.
“Him.”
“Huh? Who? Antonio?”
“Yes. Comfort him.”
I suggested she comfort Antonio instead. Kara looked puzzled.
Regardless, Antonio was smiling, thinking about his future profits.
Soon, that smile would turn to despair. All the stocks he touched would fail.
“Hey, did you really buy Tatars’ stocks? What were you thinking?”
Returning with a bright smile, Antonio had heard everything.
His reaction was normal. Tatars is a new country with many risks. Despite high returns, its stability is low.
“They said it has high returns. Kara mentioned it.”
“...Friend, stocks aren’t gambling. You should buy based on stability.”
“I’ll make a lot of money.”
“...Fine. Do whatever you want. I give up.”
Antonio, giving up on persuading me, shook his head.
Most people reacted negatively, but only Luna had faith in me.
“Hehe. Now we just need to make money.”
“How much did you invest?”
“My entire monthly allowance.”
That monthly allowance.
[Breaking News: The Mithril mine discovered by the Granada Empire has completely collapsed...]
It all turned to worthless paper.
[Massive underground mine discovered in Tatars desert! Identified to contain large quantities of Mana Stones and rare minerals...]
Meanwhile, the value of my stock certificates skyrocketed.
“Hey, friend?”
“?”
“Can you lend me some money? You made a lot, right?”
“No.”
You can’t just get things for free. Antonio clung to me, but I firmly rejected him.
I had anticipated this, so it didn’t affect me much. Now, I just needed to make money.
“See, sister? Trusting Sivar pays off, even from nothing.”
“Right. Is this what they call a wild instinct?”
“He might have a wild heart. He bought those stocks just because they had high returns?”
Luna also profited greatly, enough to live comfortably for months.
Kara’s investment in her nation’s large mine had increased her capital significantly. Everyone benefited.
“Did you hear? That guy made a fortune from his investment.”
“Why did he invest in Tatars? He seems close to their princess. Could it be...”
“No way. I heard it was a sudden discovery. He probably invested because they were close.”
“How close do you have to be to invest that much? Something’s definitely up.”
Ignore the murmurs.
End of Chapte