☣ Chapter 4 ☣
Penelope thought so hard that her head felt like it would explode.
In just a moment, she decided where to go next.
“Please take me to the stock exchange.”
“…Pardon?”
Sir Cain’s eyes shook as if there had been an earthquake.
In this world too, investing in stocks was considered the fastest road to ruin, so Sir Cain’s reaction was perfectly normal.
Penelope pretended not to notice his expression.
The truth was, she didn’t have any solid reason to support her decision either.
“Just take me there first. There might be a stock that’s about to rise.”
The stock exchange’s official name was Lendberg Trading Company.
A famous architect named Lendberg had raised investment funds to develop different parts of the continent, which eventually became the Lendberg Trading Company.
As the company paid profits and dividends to its investors, stock trading began.
As more shareholders joined, brokers appeared to earn commissions, and over time it developed into the modern stock exchange.
“Buy now! Lassel Construction shares are dirt cheap… no, unbelievably cheap!”
“I’m buying every share of the Eastern Continent Shipping Company!”
“Ahhh! I’m ruined! My money!”
“I’m completely bankrupt!”
“That damned scammer tricked me! At this rate, I’ll have to jump into the Perun River!”
Penelope and Sir Cain silently looked at the stock exchange, which had become a pit of complete chaos.
Just like in the original novel, the stock market had gone completely mad.
It had all started because the heroine had cut off the Emperor’s head three months ago.
The Emperor had been the symbol of the conservative nobles.
His death caused the traditional forces supporting him to collapse overnight.
Even the trading companies run by the great noble families couldn’t escape the disaster.
Companies that had once provided stable profits fell one after another like autumn leaves.
The ones who suffered the most were innocent individual investors.
“The butterfly effect is incredible.”
The heroine had been consumed by revenge.
She probably hadn’t had the luxury to think about everyone else before killing the Emperor.
In the end…
She had only been struggling to survive herself.
Still, Penelope found it very difficult not to blame her.
“She destroyed not only the northern estates… but even the stock market. That’s almost impressive.”
Nearby, one investor left in tears, saying he was going to “check the temperature of the Perun River.”
Seeing that, Sir Cain carefully walked over.
“Are you really planning to stay here?”
“I wasn’t planning to tell anyone this…”
Penelope lowered her voice.
“But I heard an incredible piece of information from my father’s friend’s cousin.”
Sir Cain’s face immediately darkened.
This was exactly how people who lost everything in the stock market usually spoke.
People who truly possessed valuable information never shared it with ordinary investors.
Anyone with common sense knew that.
Her Ladyship must be desperate after trying to manage the estate alone…
Sir Cain sighed inwardly.
Completely unaware of what he was thinking, Penelope slowly examined the investment catalogs.
Eastern Continent Shipping and trading companies are already overcrowded.
The Western Temple Construction Company is out. The heroine will completely destroy that project.
So… what hasn’t become famous yet…?
Penelope narrowed her eyes.
“Durek Railway Company?”
The name sounded strangely familiar.
She had definitely seen it somewhere before.
Then—
“Ah!”
Penelope suddenly stood up.
“It’s the railway company the heroine secretly invested in!”
After becoming Empress, the heroine had founded Durek Railway Company together with the Ministry of Magic and the Ministry of Alchemy.
Its purpose was to spread wealth and power beyond the capital and throughout the continent.
Since it had only recently been established, its shares were still very cheap.
About 50 gold per share…
With 100,000 gold, I can buy around 2,000 shares.
Penelope quickly finished the calculation in her head.
The heroine only mentioned this near the end of the original story.
I didn’t expect her to create it this early.
The heroine moved even faster than Penelope had expected.
Then again…
She had replaced the Emperor himself.
Since the railway shares were already being sold, construction would probably begin next year.
The original novel had ended before showing the results of the railway project.
But Penelope was certain of one thing.
“This will succeed.”
Especially at the end of the story.
There was no way the heroine could fail.
Not even in the side stories.
She would be too busy enjoying her sweet married life with the male lead to experience any major failure.
In other words…
Penelope had just found a jackpot.
“She really knows how to think big.”
As if she had never blamed the heroine before, Penelope confidently walked toward the office.
Sir Cain followed behind her with a bitter smile.
A stock exchange employee welcomed her politely.
“Welcome. If you’d like to buy or sell shares, please let me know.”
“Durek Railway Company. I’d like to buy 2,000 shares.”
The employee froze.
“Durek Railway Company? Hmm… I don’t recommend investing there. Why don’t you buy about 100 shares instead and invest the rest in the Eastern Continent Trading Company? The short-term profits are almost guaranteed.”
“Invest the entire 100,000 gold.”
“The future of railway construction is uncertain. If you insist, perhaps invest only 50,000…”
“All 100,000. Sir Cain, please pay with the gold coins.”
When Sir Cain took out a heavy pouch of gold coins, the employee’s eyes lit up.
After all, as long as he sold stocks, he’d earn his commission.
“You’re paying with Imperial Bank gold coins! Please wait a moment while I prepare your stock certificate.”
The overly enthusiastic employee happily gathered the paperwork.
Bringing gold coins from the Imperial Bank after practically forcing the branch manager to hand them over had turned out to be useful.
After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Penelope received a bond certificate bearing the official seal of Durek Railway Company.
The commission fee was fairly expensive.
Still, unless she traveled all the way to the company’s headquarters in the capital, this was a loss she simply had to accept.
Seeing that she had made a relatively modest investment, Sir Cain finally relaxed.
“Shall we return to the inn now?”
“Yes. It’s about time for lunch.”
However…
The two of them never made it back to the inn.
“My Lady! Something terrible has happened!”
“What is it?”
It was Hans, a servant from the lord’s castle.
He had gone to check the herb prices first thing in the morning.
Why had he rushed all the way here?
Just as Penelope tilted her head in confusion—
Hans shouted,
“The price of herbs has been cut in half!”
“What?! Are you saying that even if we sell an entire wagon, we won’t get even 10,000 gold?”
“That’s right, Sir. At this rate, we’d be better off plowing the herb fields and using them as cattle feed.”
Hans looked as though he was about to cry.
Sir Cain let out a heavy sigh.
So… herb prices have finally hit rock bottom.
That was the estate’s last hope.
After borrowing one million gold only moments ago, his heart felt heavier than ever.
The nearby investors at the stock exchange, who had been watching them from the corner of their eyes ever since Hans arrived, immediately began whispering among themselves.
“So the northern herb market has completely collapsed.”
“Tsk… Tsk… I bet many people in the North will starve this winter.”
“Forget them. I’m the one about to die.”
Ignoring all the noise around her, Penelope calmly asked,
“Where is the wagon carrying the Green Herbs?”
“It’s nearby. The merchant we’ve always traded with tried to buy our herbs for half the usual price, so I got angry and came back.”
“You did well.”
Penelope answered calmly before walking toward the wagon.
Hans and Sir Cain hurried after her.
She looked back.
“Hans, bring the wagon and follow me. There’s somewhere we need to go.”
“Even if we sell them somewhere else, we won’t get more than 5,000 gold.”
“We’re not going to the market.”
Hans looked confused.
Sir Cain wore the same expression.
“I heard there’s a branch of the Magic Tower nearby. Take me there.”
By this point in the original story, the heroine was probably enjoying her newlywed life with the male lead.
Just thinking about it made Penelope feel a little bitter.
“While I’m suffering in this remote countryside…”
“She’s happily enjoying romance in the Imperial Palace.”
On top of that, thanks to being the protagonist of the original story, the heroine’s future was completely secure.
The more Penelope thought about it…
The more jealous she became.
