Chapter 33

Health syrup is bound to rise. And I’ll become rich.

The vibrant red-haired middle-aged man, Professor Bobby of the Magic Department of the Academy, was muttering these words in his head for the hundredth time.

Ever since he had invested money in Gordon Renox Stock Company, which manufactures health syrup, he just couldn’t think of anything else.

Whether he was eating, teaching, or sitting in the lab, all he could think about was health syrup.

“It’s inevitable. If it fails, it’s over.”

Professor Bobby, after signing a declaration of support for the Third Imperial Princess, had acquired 500 shares of the unlisted stock at face value.

The investment amounted to 100,000 talers.

He wanted to invest even more, but this was his limit—due to his frequent past investment failures, he was low on cash.

There was the time he lost 1.4 million talers when a trading company stock he invested in had its ship sink, and another instance where he enthusiastically bought various items at art auctions, only to end up losing nearly 1.2 million talers and having to sell his mansion.

Being one of the most renowned magicians in the Empire, yet living modestly, was all because of this. Recently, even his wife left him, saying she no longer wanted to live together.

Still, it seemed the world didn’t intend to drive him to ruin.

His investment, which he had committed to by emptying his entire balance, began showing promising signs.

Hadn’t Alan Medoff personally stepped in to curb the rise of health syrup? Bobby had a hunch about what that implied. Ever since encountering the man at Minster Palace, something had seemed off.

Pretty soon, lines would form with people eager to invest.

“But I got in before them, didn’t I?”

Being one step ahead meant the chance to make a hefty profit. Just thinking about it made him smile.

“Professor, aren’t you going to teach the class?”

Had his joy been that obvious? His students were staring at him.

Professor Bobby stood there dazed for a moment before awkwardly clearing his throat.

“Oh, right. I’m in the middle of a lecture.”

But his embarrassment was overshadowed by the overwhelming urge to boast about his good news. It was simply too exhilarating to keep to himself.

“You guys, don’t you wonder?”

“No.”

“Anyway, let me tell you. You’ve heard of Mrs. Chandler’s health syrup, right?”

“So you’ve invested in it.”

“The company that makes it is about to go public. Of course, listing is not easy. You have to pay tribute to the Imperial Court and undergo reviews before you can publicly trade stocks. But the owner of the company is an Imperial Princess, so there’s no real worry about that, is there?”

The students reacted with a mix of indifference and curiosity, while a few began to perk up at the mention of health syrup, which was indeed becoming famous lately.

With encouragement from these few attentive students, Professor Bobby enthusiastically praised the syrup, exaggerating slightly without realizing.

“I didn’t want to say this, but the health syrup does have something special to it. During casting, it seems to slightly improve one’s mana sensitivity…though it still needs verification. It’s a very intriguing phenomenon.”

“Professor, is that really true?”

“It’s based on my experience. It’s worth researching, at least.”

“Wow.”

The number of students listening to Professor Bobby increased gradually, drawn by his reputation.

Though infamous for squandering his fortune, Bobby Duncan’s reputation as a magician was genuine.

An 8th-rank magician—and unmatched when it came to fire magic—no student could afford to ignore his words.

In the end, Bobby spent the entire lecture period talking about health syrup.

“I’ve strayed off-topic. Sorry.”

“…”

Most of the students let out defeated sighs. However, a few quietly slipped out—the ones struggling with poor grades.

…

Later that afternoon, among the queue at a health syrup street stall, you could spot Academy students interspersed.

Students from the prestigious institution, even standing in lines in search of health syrup, painted an image that carried significant weight for potential investors. It suggested that health syrup was far more than a common remedy bought in desperation.

This situation prompted some individuals to take action out of impatience.

**

The reputation of health syrup was skyrocketing in real-time.

“So they’re really starting to panic.”

A perfectly serene smile adorned the face of Princess Anais Carlisle, the Third Imperial Princess.

The good news had come from both the Stock Exchange and the Military Affairs Ministry.

It seemed Alan Medoff and Siena had made huge mistakes in response to the rapid growth of health syrup.

There’s nothing more foolish than showing impatience through your actions. They must have been desperate to interfere.

“At the Stock Exchange, Alan Medoff reportedly stayed for over five hours, openly criticizing the health syrup. He even directly met with several department heads and warned that helping the business grow wouldn’t end well.”

Alan Medoff obstructed a supposed IPO that he didn’t even need to block.

“And Princess Siena did the same at the Military Affairs Ministry. She compared health syrup to some kind of deadly poison when speaking to generals and even tried to meet with the minister before being restrained by the First Imperial Princess.”

Siena apparently caused chaos in the currently tense military, amid increasing disputes with the elves. Her actions were akin to throwing away the favorable reputation she rebuilt through the morphine business.

‘They’re still temperamental.’

Princess Anais understood their frustration.

At that very moment, Mrs. Chandler’s health syrup continued its steady progress towards increased production. Two factories were rented, and the procurement of key ingredients was steadily advancing.

They must have been notified of these developments.

They probably believed they had to act before health syrup took over the market.

Ironically, their efforts only helped promote it further.

“Maybe I should thank them later?”

Thinking of their antics made Anais chuckle. She regretted not witnessing the spectacle firsthand.

Still, even amidst her joy, a slight suspicion lingered.

Siena wasn’t stupid—that much Anais could admit. Alan Medoff was the same.

If they were indeed fools, it would make Anais look foolish too for being so thoroughly defeated by them in the past—so some things had to be acknowledged.

‘Could they not foresee this outcome?’

They could have spread malicious rumors through intermediaries.

Why did they personally step in and embarrass themselves like this?

Though it might just be overcautiousness, Anais briefly wondered if they had other intentions.

“Not a hundred percent comfortable with this. If only I could read their minds.”

But Anais didn’t dwell on her concerns for long.

“Your Highness, there are several people here requesting an audience.”

It was because people, quickly drawn by the smell of money, were crowding the reception hall. There were more than twenty of them.

These were people of sufficient standing to request an audience with an imperial princess—not just ordinary wealthy civilians who couldn’t even set foot in Minster Palace.

They had been waiting for over six hours in the reception hall, willing to skip meals to see her.

“I guess I should at least make an appearance.”

She couldn’t leave them to starve, so Anais decided to briefly greet them before sending them on their way. With that thought, she walked to the reception hall.

The situation there, however, wasn’t as calm as she expected.

“Princess Anais!!”

The men and women who were sitting sprang up, shouting desperately. Her bodyguards instinctively reached for their swords.

“Sir Knights, please calm down.”

“Your Highness, we aren’t here because we’ve been swayed by rumors!”

“What?”

“We did not come to shamelessly demand shares from your honor. That would be begging. However, we have one request. Would you consider changing the company’s mission?”

“…”

“How about renaming the company that produces health syrup from Gordon Renox Stock Company to something more straightforward, like Chandler Syrup?”

Unlike her expectations, everyone seemed relatively composed.

Princess Anais took her seat, surprised by their civility. Almost immediately, a slew of reasonable suggestions began pouring in. Many people explained how they could help and wanted to cooperate.

Some suggested raising capital through a premium issue of shares.

Others offered to arrange for health syrup sales in large department stores frequented by the nobility.

There was even a suggestion to assist in the procurement of sugar, an ingredient more important than opium.

Could these be worthy of consideration?

Worries about Alan and Siena faded little by little.

Alan Medoff likely had sinister intentions.

However, whatever his plan, the potential of health syrup was undeniable.

The number of people who desperately wanted to buy health syrup but couldn’t, due to a shortage of supply, was proof of that.

Thus, it was wise to expand quickly.

Even petty tricks by rivals could be overcome with sheer power. If she hesitated out of fear, she might be vulnerable to Alan Medoff’s attacks. On reflection, it seemed he had deliberately counted on this.

“Yes. Straightforward expansion is the solution.”

Anais steeled her resolve, deciding not to block the current surge of interest in Mrs. Chandler’s health syrup.

As a symbolic measure of her decision, she would start by changing the company’s name.

From Gordon Renox to Chandler Syrup.

She would also allow investments and collaborations, which was necessary since even her resources weren’t quite enough to handle the increasing demand.

“Your wisdom is commendable!”

Anais’s swift decision was met with applause.

It was the moment her tarnished image turned around drastically. Overcome with emotion, Anais felt a lump in her throat.

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