A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy - 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The amount withdrawn from the bank was a whopping 1 million silver coins, equivalent to 1 billion won.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?”

“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.”

Since it’s directly connected to money, Kara decided to be cautious. She began observing my actions subtly.

She probably felt uneasy about trusting me. But I had no specific thoughts.

“There. That’s the Academy Stock Exchange. It’s bigger than you thought, right?”

“Given its purpose, it’s right next to the bank.”

“So that’s the stock exchange.”

The stock exchange built at the academy wasn’t that big.

Though the academy gathers talents worldwide, it wasn’t as bustling as the capital.

Of course, compared to a regular exchange, it was smaller, but it had everything needed.

Buzz— Buzz— Buzz—

And as soon as we entered, I realized my prediction was correct.

The stock exchange, where everything was calculated manually, was quite crowded even during lunch.

It was almost as bustling as a marketplace. I even saw some students in uniforms like us.

“From now on, let’s do our own thing. I’m going to buy right away.”

“I wish you a great failure.”

“Haha! No way! It’s going up!!”

Despite Grace’s words of luck (?), Antonio remained unfazed. He was full of confidence.

Knowing the future of the stocks he would invest in, I felt quite sorry for him. I hoped he wouldn’t ask me for money later.

Anyway, I should check too. I turned my head to look at the stock board.

 

“They write it all down on a chalkboard.”

They used several large chalkboards, updating the stock prices periodically. No wonder it was crowded.

I tightly gripped the checks in both hands and stared at the chalkboard. I was looking for the stocks I wanted.

Normally, domestic and foreign investments are categorized separately, but this was the United Academy.

Stocks were divided by country, making it a task to find them.

“There’s a lot of trading, so they pay quite a bit of attention.”

When the academy collapse happens, if this stock exchange falls, the world economy will take a huge hit.

Even the demons know this and target this building first. Remembering that, I turned my head away from the chalkboard.

From my memory, a demon’s magic circle should be installed here. But it’s hard to find in this crowded place.

“It’s hard to cause trouble here.”

Causing a ruckus might lead to permanent expulsion. I planned to be cautious due to this concern.

Moreover, there’s still plenty of time. This won’t be the only visit, so I can take it slow.

“What nonsense! How can it drop like that suddenly? What happened?!”

“Sorry, if you’ve seen the news, there’s been a terrorist attack in Santiago…”

“Give me my money! Give me my money back! Aaargh!”

Hm. It seems someone’s stocks became worthless.

The person making a fuss was soon dragged away by the guards.

Apparently, such incidents were common, and people soon returned to their business.

“Each country has its own color. Ah, there’s ours too.”

After looking around the exchange for a while, Kara pointed to a section. It had a unique sand-colored chalkboard.

For reference, Matra Empire-related stocks were on a white chalkboard, and Granada Empire stocks were on a black chalkboard.

Each country was designated a unique color for easy categorization. It was a pretty good design.

“Does Tatars have related stocks too?”

“Yes. So these were all stocks. The names are all familiar.”

Kara looked at the names listed under Tatars-related stocks with interest.

Although Hector introduced various financial systems, it probably didn’t resonate much with Kara.

Before she could grasp it, Hector had sent her to the academy. She’d probably start studying it now.

While Kara was examining the related stocks, I headed straight to the Tatars section.

“Huh? Sivar. Wait a minute!”

“?”

“You’re not planning to invest in our country, are you?”

 

As soon as I moved, Kara grabbed my wrist to stop me. I tilted my head, wondering what the problem was.

Kara’s face looked complicated, and she spoke in a hesitant tone.

“I our stocks.”

Kara pointed to the Tatars section. Indeed, while other sections were bustling, Tatars was empty.

This was understandable. As she said, Tatars is a new country with a poor track record.

Although Hector managed to establish a national foundation, outsiders might see it as on the verge of collapse.

If Hector fell, it would naturally lead to civil war. In that case, all related stocks would become worthless.

“I’ll buy.”

But knowing the future, I wasn’t concerned. Tatars wouldn’t collapse no matter what.

 

Even if my relationship with Kara soured, the nation would remain intact. The trade route is comparable to the Silk Road.

“Why? What makes you want to buy?”

“Tatars is Kara’s country. Right?”

“Huh? Yes, that’s right.”

“So, I’ll buy.”

Of course, I couldn’t say I knew the future. How could I tell her a Mana Stone mine would soon be discovered on their land?

Kara’s green eyes wavered at my simple answer. She looked conflicted.

Then she smiled faintly and gently cupped my cheeks.

“You’re so sweet. Okay, even if you suffer losses, this sister will help you out.”

Kara pinched my cheeks like dough, her smiling face showing firm trust.

As my face was being squished like dough, I noticed Grace standing behind Kara.

She was biting her thumbnail, looking worried and frustrated.

‘Is it because I didn’t invest in the Matra Empire?’

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 Chapter