Ch.2121. Deprivation

The Cordana Exchange was a battlefield all afternoon.

“Everyone, let’s close the exchange first. We need to hear The Hero’s explanation before the Cordana market can normalize. Right now, everyone has lost their reason…!”

“Explanation or not, The Hero is the cause of this situation. In the end, didn’t he fabricate killing a Tetrad member who wasn’t even dead?”

“It’s not just The Hero’s problem~! What do you think it means that over 150 were transferred to the Papal State yesterday! Is there anyone who doesn’t know the Prince is The Hero’s sponsor?”

“Just stop the sell orders first!!”

People were engaged in heated debates about the cause of the crash, some grabbed innocent exchange executives by their collars, and there were even those who had lost their noble dignity, jumping over counters to disrupt operations.

But human stamina has its limits.

Now, approaching closing time, the commotion had somewhat subsided.

This didn’t mean Cordana investors had reached enlightenment and become detached from the market crash. They were simply exhausted after pouring out intense emotions in such a short time.

The Minister of Justice had already fainted and been carried out on a servant’s back, while the Deputy Commander of the Royal Guard sat slumped in the reception room, mumbling incoherently.

The current price was 180 million.

It had shrunk to less than half its value in just a few hours.

The bigger problem was that even this price wasn’t reliable.

It was a price formed because despite investors desperately trying to sell by gradually lowering their prices and resubmitting orders, no buyers appeared.

One transaction (1 unit) was completed at 240 million, but after that, buying power disappeared again.

180 million was just the asking price for selling; it was impossible to even guess where the actual bottom might be.

“…We should have kept the exchange closed today.”

“What’s the use of saying that now?”

With almost no completed transactions, could an accurate market price even exist? What was Cordana’s value now? Despite the massive negative news, why had buying power evaporated so completely? Everything was shrouded in uncertainty.

The Cordana Exchange finally closed in a gloomy atmosphere.

Investors who had been stubbornly hanging around finally left the exchange with expressions of despair. From whales holding dozens of Cordana to Academy students with just one. Everyone’s shoulders were slumped.

“The truth hasn’t been revealed yet, so let’s wait a little longer. …Don’t think too drastically, alright?”

“Won’t the Imperial Palace or The Hero’s party issue a statement? With all this chaos.”

Some tried to speak positively, but only those who had recently sold some Cordana and secured cash could afford such optimism.

Those who were stuck with their entire holdings wore expressions too miserable to describe.

***

“This is my first time eating ice cream. I’ve only had sherbet once in winter.”

“Same here. It’s quite good.”

Even while sitting at home eating sweet ice cream made with magical tools, I could sense that the Imperial Capital was in chaos.

Though the comparison might be strange, it felt similar to a village swept up in a monster attack.

Just five or six hungry goblins running amok could destroy an entire village in an instant. In the process of defeating them, at least one or two people would die or be seriously injured, and many more would suffer property damage.

I was someone who had witnessed these devastating realities from childhood until now.

As a child, I saw it from the victim’s perspective, and after I started living by the sword, I witnessed it frequently during expeditions under the pretext of saving territories.

Inevitably, people would suffer damage, whether large or small, and that damage was never distributed fairly. Some people would keep their homes and farmland intact, while others might lose everything.

That disparity often brought about another disaster.

The atmosphere in the Imperial Capital right now matched that exactly.

‘Am I worrying too much?’

Honestly, I hadn’t left the house today.

In the morning, I took a potion that helps with mental training and concentrated on practice, and in the afternoon, I checked the scrolls and weapons I had prepared in advance.

I had heard about The Hero’s false reporting allegations late yesterday evening, but I hadn’t directly witnessed how widely the repercussions had spread.

However, I decided not to ignore the anxiety rising in my chest.

“Amelia. Don’t receive any guests for a while.”

“Even Bingo?”

“He’s an exception, but that guy will probably lay low for a while too. He sold nine Cordana just before closing yesterday and became filthy rich. When I’m not here, don’t respond no matter who knocks. Pretend you can’t hear anything.”

This was the instruction I gave after eating ice cream side by side with my servant Amelia.

Few employers would share a table with their servants. This was true not just for nobles but commoners as well. Perhaps they thought it would spoil the servants’ manners, or maybe they were bothered by servants eating the same food as them.

But I usually ate with Amelia. Having someone to talk to was better than eating alone grudgingly.

“…If you order it, I’ll do so, but may I ask why?”

Perhaps feeling anxious about the unusual instruction, Amelia glanced at me, studying my expression.

She was of average height with brown hair, not strikingly beautiful but rather cute in her own way.

Having helped with odd jobs in the Royal Order’s administration department, she was quite good at managing her expressions, but now she was visibly showing her nervousness.

“Think of it simply. Are you a native of the Imperial Capital?”

“No. I’m from a territory called Yengani, a bit far from here. My father is a farmer.”

“That’s good. Imagine if your hometown faced a poor harvest, but only your family’s farmland produced a bumper crop with ears of wheat full of plump grains. How would your neighbors feel watching that? They’d probably feel deprived even without having anything taken from them.”

“Logically, such a thing wouldn’t… Ah, yes. I understand what you mean.”

I was glad she seemed to have some sense. If she said something stupid while talking with servants from other houses, it could cause problems.

“Right now, I’m like that farmer with the only good harvest. I haven’t committed any crime, but I’m in a position perfect for becoming a target of resentment.”

“……”

“Of course, The Hero and the Prince will take most of the blame. But those people aren’t easily accessible. I’m relatively more vulnerable.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Amelia nodded with an expression full of tension. She even made a personal resolution to refrain from going out except for shopping.

She didn’t need to stay completely cooped up at home though. Maybe I scared her too much.

Still, I didn’t feel the need to lower Amelia’s vigilance.

Not long after, the sound of someone frantically pounding on the door echoed in my ears.

Bang, bang, bang!

The audacity to completely ignore the bell installed right next to the door! The force suggested they would break down the door if I didn’t come out quickly.

‘Isn’t this too soon?’

I picked up my sword while letting out a wry laugh. Even for a rude visitor, I shouldn’t greet them with a blade, but I needed to be prepared for any situation.

Bang! Bang!

“Stop it, I’m coming.”

Thud…

I flung the door open, wanting to see who it was.

A middle-aged man frozen in the position of knocking on the door. However, I didn’t feel the need to respond harshly.

“Professor Weaver?”

It was someone I recognized. He was a full professor in the Academy’s magic department who lived in the same district.

I remembered him slinking over to greet me the day after I moved in. He claimed to remember seeing me a few times when I was attending the Academy and tried to socialize.

“My students gather and talk about nothing but Cordana, heh heh. Your name, Erick, comes up occasionally too… Truth be told, I’m in no position to scold them.”

Despite the fact that there were many eccentric magicians, this gentleman had welcomed me as a neighbor without any territorial behavior, smiling kindly. He even poked my side saying, “I’ll soon be joining the same ranks as you,” with a meaningful tone.

But now…

‘He’s crying.’

His unfocused, trembling eyes were filled with tears, and his neck and earlobes had turned completely red from agitation. Despite pounding on the door like a madman, he now stood before me unable to speak, just opening and closing his mouth.

For a full professor at the Academy to suddenly lose his mind and break down like this, there could only be one reason at this point.

“What happened?”

“…Uh, the Prince, no, The Hero, that, the Beast King…!”

“I’ve heard about that. Allegations of The Hero’s false reporting have emerged, right?”

“Even though nothing’s been clearly established yet, even so, people have all gone crazy.”

He gesticulated wildly while rambling incoherently.

I had no obligation to listen to the complaints of a neighbor I wasn’t even close with. But I didn’t rebuke him by asking, “Why are you telling me this?” There was no need to make an enemy unnecessarily.

“So, ah, how should I put this. The market staff at the exchange keeps…”

“Everyone’s trying to sell, and there’s no one to buy, is that it?”

“That’s right!!”

He suddenly shouted and clenched his fist, then immediately deflated and hung his head. He seemed unable to control his own emotions.

It meant his chest was filling with indignation and frustration with no way to release it, driving him mad.

“…Professor.”

Finally, he collapsed on the ground and began to sob. I just looked at him dejectedly without touching him.

His sobbing didn’t stop until his family came to support him. I could faintly hear him saying “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” to a child who appeared to be his son.

Seeing that scene, I didn’t need to go to the exchange to imagine what kind of disaster was unfolding…

Actually, I didn’t try to imagine it. Whatever I imagined would be less than the reality.

But one thing was certain.

‘I need to hurry with my preparations.’

It seemed the investors’ agitation was worse than I thought. This wasn’t a situation where I could cheer that I was safe. The professor left after lamenting and sobbing alone, but the next person who came might not be the same.

Too many people’s lives were being ruined in real time. To survive, I needed to use my head well.