Wolves of Hader

Chapter 72

It was nothing short of a warzone.

People trying to buy shares. People trying to sell shares. People calling out for quotes.

People shouting for completed deals.

"Buying two at 25!"

"Ten for sale at 26!"

"Deal concluded for five at 25!"

"Hey, broker! I placed my order first, why did you process this person's order before mine?"

"Highest quote has priority! There are no exceptions!"

"Let's get these contracts done faster! How am I supposed to trade if the price jumps while we're contracting?"

Bang bang bang bang—

"No more shares available at 25! Place your order at a higher price than the current! That's the only way you can trade!"

"We'll start bids from 27!"

"28! I'll buy at 29!"

"No quantity left at 27!"

"They said there's no quantity left at 27!"

"Aren't we in the middle of a transaction at 27?"

"Look at this! What if prices can't keep up with the contract speed?!"

"Sometimes an entire set of shares at one price gets bought up all at once! Johnny! What's the current price?"

"It's coming! It's going!"

More than a hundred people each shouting, moving busily. Amid it all, a young man ran hurriedly from the back of the counter.

"Strong buying pressure! Current price 29! Awaiting shares: 51! Next, price 30! Awaiting shares: 63!"

As the young man shouted, the clerk erased the price written in chalk and updated the new price and volume. The young man rushed back to the counter.

Ross, who had been watching, said,

"There are more buyers than sellers right now, right?"

"Yeah. The share certificate price is about 26 times higher than when it was first issued. Even people who sold when it was just ten times higher are trying to buy again."

"Are the dividends 26 times bigger too?"

"Not really. The half-year dividend is only about 20% of the investment."

"Then why is everyone so desperate to buy?"

"They're aiming for trading profits. If you keep holding and sell now, you actually make a 26-fold profit on your investment."

"Is the copper mine really that big?"

"Yeah."

"You're here, family head. Young master."

Turning around, Goose was grinning brightly. He was making money just from commissions, and his face was beaming.

"Did you recruit enough miners?"

"Absolutely. Mining development starts in five days. There's someone you should meet in the building next to the exchange. Would both of you like to meet them?"

"I'll go first."

"Yes, please follow me."

Goose and Ross went to meet the butler candidate.

I stayed at the exchange and kept watching the counter.

The young man kept going back and forth between the back office and the clerk.

At a glance he might look like a simple errand boy, but he was nothing of the sort.

When a broker's assistant submitted the contract certificate, the tellers would record and calculate it.

Then they'd announce the price and volume, but that young man just glanced at it and was done.

"Contract at 39 finishing up now!"

"Maximum buy price is double the previous day's price! You can only buy up to 40, keep that in mind!"

"Then does that mean we can't buy today?"

"I repeat! If there's more than a twofold gap from the previous day's price, trading is restricted and stopped for the day! You can trade again tomorrow!"

"Damn! I didn't know!"

"Trading is about to close! Anyone wanting to trade, come back tomorrow!"

"Hahaha! I'm glad I bought yesterday! It doubled!"

"Are you mocking us now?!"

Some people cheered, others got upset at the manager's announcement.

Many couldn't buy even though they wanted to. Others who'd heard about the copper mine and sold too early were desperate.

Ding ding ding ding—

"Trading is closed!"

"Equivalent returns and share certificates will be paid at the counter every morning when the exchange opens!"

It was around 11 a.m.

Trading that started at 10 in the morning had finished its warzone in just an hour.

It was supposed to go until 2 p.m.

The exchange had been quiet until yesterday. Neither brokers nor investors had ever experienced such a busy day.

Behind the counter, coin pouches stacked, paid out as investments and fees.

The order forms littered the counter floor.

Accounting staff moved share certificates and buyers' lists from the register into the safe with its iron bars.

The exchange had four departments.

Front counter: brokerage and cash office.

Safe: accounting and payouts office.

When a broker took an order, an assistant verified it and passed it to the back office.

Three people at the cash office checked it in succession, and the teller did a final check and recorded it.

After some trial and error, this system was established. If this were before, today would've been chaos.

Everyone was facing a price ceiling day for the first time.

Even the young man was wiping his sweat during his break.

The other errand boys sitting next to him had all been running around busily, too. But they couldn't read at all.

"Bring me a glass of water!"

"Yes!"

The young man got up first, went to the water stand, brought a pitcher and cups, and started serving the worn-out full-time staff.

The employees felt proud of him. The other errand boys just started cleaning voluntarily.

No one seemed jealous for being praised by adults.

That boy was my candidate for secretary.

I discovered him at the exchange.

He was originally just a cleaner at the counter, but it was later discovered he could do arithmetic.

After that, he started working as a price assistant.

So I paid close attention, and today I liked him even more than before.

More than just liking—he was someone I'd been searching for, for more than four years.

The young man started cleaning with the other errand boys. No chatting, just quietly gathering scattered order forms.

"Got a minute?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. How about we grab something to eat?"

I smiled and led the way.

The young man shyly followed me.

/ / /

"You want to hire me as your secretary?"

He looked at me, shocked.

"Why? Does it feel like too much?"

"I'm from Beltern, and I haven't learned much..."

"But you're good at arithmetic?"

"That's something my master taught me as a child. And also, I'm..."

"I know you're a refugee."

The more we spoke, the more I liked him. It wasn't just a feeling—his actual character matched my expectation.

He reminded me of myself when I dropped out of high school and entered society.

Even our personalities were similar in conversation. So in my previous life, I had a secretary like me—my only friend and brother.

I met someone I truly liked in this world, too. Even Donnie couldn't replace this kind of friend.

"Your name's Johnny, right?"

"Yes. I didn't even have a name before. My previous master gave it to me."

"Who was your previous master?"

"He was a count from the southern kingdom of Beltern."

"Have you heard of someone called Xenon?"

"Sorry? Not at all..."

The guest warrior from the Syren family who fought me was named Xenon.

He was from a destroyed southern kingdom. There were many kingdoms in the south, so it's possible he didn't know.

"Johnny, from now on, work with me. It'll be easier than what you're doing now."

Johnny couldn't respond.

He was bright and diligent, but shy. He'd suffered a lot, so he was very perceptive and had little self-esteem.

Regardless of what others thought, I liked people like him. Even when their status rises, they're considerate.

They also tend not to cross any lines.

"How much are you making now?"

"Me? Five coins per week."

"In silver?"

"No, copper."

Johnny was currently sixteen, a couple of years older than the other errand boys. As a refugee, he'd been paid minimum wage.

"I'll give you five silver nyang per week."

"R-really?"

"But, there are two conditions."

"What are they?"

Johnny swallowed nervously.

Probably worried I'd do something strange.

"First, you'll have to start studying."

"Just studying?"

"For now. And second—this is really important."

I looked him in the eye.

This was the truly important condition.

"From now on, everything about me must be kept secret. You can't even tell Ross, head of house, my own brother."

"Ah, alright."

"If you keep our promise and complete your studies, you'll end up handling many things in my place."

"Me?"

"That's your role."

Johnny looked bewildered.

I just smiled at him.

Johnny is a smart kid. If he learns what I teach him, he'll become the only one besides me to have this knowledge.

/ / /

Another month passed.

The mining business had gone smoothly from the start. Since last week, the distribution business had begun in earnest as well.

I was just a major shareholder and advisor; actual management was to be handled by Lord Urke and Goose.

There was no need for me to be directly involved.

Johnny completed his tests and verification. He was hardworking, and even smarter than I'd expected.

I wished I'd met him sooner.

"Young master, it's Johnny."

"Come in."

Scruffy Johnny had turned into a neat young man and entered my room. He'd been learning more each day.

"Are your studies fun?"

"Yes, it's really fun. No matter how much I learn, there's still more."

"Take a seat. I have something to give you."

He sat down before me.

I handed him three books.

"What are these?"

"Math. Science. Economics."

"Sorry?"

All three were at a basic level.

First, math.

Math in this world was a very advanced subject.

Even nobles only knew basic arithmetic, and most commoners knew nothing at all, unless they were merchants.

So, the math book included the multiplication table, fractions, sets, basic equations and functions.

Since I wasn't great at math, it was just practical arithmetic.

The science book was similar.

How clouds form and rain falls. Why the sun rises and sets. The boiling and freezing points of water.

Laws of gravity and inertia. Evolution of living things. Types of climate, and so on.

Economics was the most important knowledge.

The difference between micro and macro economics. Supply and demand.

Relationship between total production, currency, and prices. Bonds, interest rates, yield, etc.

Most of the content was written in a language unknown to people in this world.

The books looked like they were filled with strange symbols.

"And this."

I took out a piece of parchment.

Johnny looked at it, tilting his head.

"These are characters only I know. It'll be our secret code. Learn this first, and you'll be able to read the books."

"These letters look weird."

"Yeah. No one knows how to read them. So you have to memorize them right here, right now."

"Yes, young master."

"The top line is consonants. Bottom is vowels. Start with the vowels."

I pointed to a character.

"Ah."

"Ah."

"This one is always read as [Ah(아)]."

"Interesting letter."

We went through the rest, one by one. He was so smart he memorized them in a flash.

I explained how to combine them, so he could figure out the system, not just memorize.

I pointed to three letters.

"How do you read this?"

"Jo... ny... ah?"

"Right. That's your name."

"Oh!"

Johnny's face brightened.

He looked amazed that he could learn such unfamiliar letters so quickly.

"From now on, you'll be the only one with these three books. Only you can see them. Even if others see them, they can't read them."

Johnny nodded.

His eyes welled up with emotion. As if he wondered why I treated him so well, and why I shared such a secret.

"You'll be my one and only trusted aide. For that, you need to know what I know. So that you'll always understand me."

"I'll study hard, young master."

"Good. Come to me with any questions. The more knowledge you have, the better—and easier—it is for me too."

"I will."

Johnny held the books to his chest and bowed deeply. He looked back twice before leaving the room.

After passing on this knowledge to Johnny, I felt completely relieved. Now I could entrust him with so much.

Of course, the people I trust most are Donnie and Ross. But their positions are different, so they can't fill Johnny's role.

I confirmed Johnny's personality truly matched mine. Not only was he like me, but he was also brilliant.

There was no reason to wait to build trust. People like him, if given trust, return it.

Rebuke is poison; praise is medicine.

I can see the future even without looking.

When Donnie becomes my chief of security, leading the continent's top force—

Johnny will be my chief secretary, running the continent's foremost merchant guild.