Chapter 27: Purchase

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“Capitalize on every moment you can, because once that moment goes by. You will regret not using it, you will regret not taking advantage of it for the rest of your life. May we prosper under capitalism, the system of the meritocracy.”

Economist Zaniba, Free the Economy

Year 541

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--POV: Anthony Volkhiem—

--Place: Tokkingdam Industries’ Office(Urban Viran) / Time:15:14—

“This company isn’t that valuable, Mr. Tokkingdam” Is this guy trying to pull a fast one on me? This guy is overestimating the worth of his own company.

“It has a lot of potential to grow, what if the potential future profit this company can bring is way bigger than what you’re offering to buy it for?” Hah? What if? Who cares about what if it could happen?

“We live in the present Mr. Tokkingdam, the company has potential to succeed, and to fail. If we operate on your logic, I can also say this company is worth less because it has the potential to bring in future loss.”

The overseer of the purchase, a high ranking consultant of the McWaiser firm, is currently watching with a stoic expression this back and forth argument I’m currently having with the owner over the price, good thing he doesn’t know that Mistress Clarissa is the one who sent me here after transferring over 10,000 gold to my account.

Speaking of the Mistress, I wonder why she would suddenly show interest in a mere local business that sells some papers, that is filled with mundane stuff about people’s lives and biographies.

I should be able to do this purchase with ease if this excuse of an owner that sounds and looks like an old grandpa would just shut up.

From what I heard, Chamberlayne and McWaiser aren’t the good buddies they used to be, and this is why we have to operate in secrecy, hiding the fact that Chamberlayne is buying this company through me, or at least according to the Mistress.

The Mistress…..

“If even a single rumour that Chamberlayne had anything to do with the selling of Tokkingdam reaches my ears, I will put a spear so far up your ass, it will come out of your mouth, got that?”

Holy shit, those weren’t the best goodbye words I could have heard from the Mistress’s lips, to be honest.

I have been working at Chamberlayne for many years now under Mistress Clarissa’s employment, I expected some sympathy from her, at least a little.

Yet those eyes, those blood red eyes did not register me as a living being…..

“Mr. Volkhiem? You are pale, is something amiss?” The consultant, Roger Dukkit, asks with a concerned face, I would like to see him work under Clarissa’s tyranny for a bit, it’s not fair I have to suffer alone.

“No, nothing at all. So the nominal value of this whole company amounts to how much, Mr. Dukkit?” Should get back to focusing on my job now, because if years of being Clarissa’s subordinate told me anything, it’s that she wasn’t joking when she said those words.

“The total value of all of Tokkingdam’s assets and shares amounts to 4560 gold coins” Roger states matter-of-factly….it’s a good thing I was lucky that McWaiser sent Roger. Because the bargaining Tokkingdam is trying is pretty aggressive, a part of me suspected he may have tried to bribe the consultant to inflate the price of the business, good thing Roger is the righteous type, the hero of justice type of personality….one of the personalities I hate the most for their hypocrisy….

But I’m not complaining, because Roger’s sense of justice may have just saved me some coin.

The less money I use, the higher the Mistress’s opinion of me becomes. If I want to prove myself as a decent negotiator and gain the Mistress’s favour, I may be promoted to a vassal of Chamberlayne.

“Okay, Mr. Tokkingdam. The maximum price I’m willing to pay is a 15% mark-up of the original value, totalling 5244 golden coins. No more than that.” I need to put my foot down, the problem is, if Tokkingdam refuses, I’m going to have to buy it for a higher price anyway.

There is no way I’m going back to the Mistress empty handed, I’m going to get dismembered if I show my face there after such a failure…..

Besides, she gave me 10k of gold, that is way, way, more than what this business is worth. No matter how much you exaggerate the price. It is clear she wants me to buy it as quick as possible, however, if I show that I can buy it cheaply and quickly, she would be very pleased.

“Fine” Yes! That old geezer agreed, so even stubbornness has a limit, huh?

“So, Mr. Dukkit if you would please transfer the gold to Tokkingdam’s account, and we could start finalising the paper?”

“You want to do this right this instant, Mr. Volkhiem?” Yes….the Mistress said to rush as fast as possible, something about the semester starting soon….

“Yes please, how long would it take?”

“A bit under two hours if I start working on the papers now” The McWaisers use a magic bullet point pen with magic ink, ensuring that the document cannot be erased or destroyed, followed by buyer, seller and overseer(McWaiser employee) signing their acceptance with a thumbprint.

Tokkingdam is probably pissed that I’m going to have him wait 2 hours here, but he still agrees, as he will take the money sooner this way, after all.

Now that I have spent a bit under 53% of the current balance, I’m expecting the Mistress to send more money my way. As for the first couple weeks, I will be operating on a deficit until I can bring in enough sales to overset that, then this company will no longer need subsidies from the Mistress.

The better the company is, the better I am in the eyes of the Mistress.

I’m going to need a poster boy, more advertisements, and rumours for sales to really kick off. Plus, I’m going to need cheap labour to print a lot of paper, as the Mistress wants this newspaper widespread.

I’ll have to visit the slave market and use about 2000 coins for the best and most experienced slaves I can find, afterwards I’ll use another 1000 on more advanced machinery than the outdated shit that Tokkingdam was using. More 500 gold coins needs to use on equipment and supplies, namely paper and ink. Last 1200 or so is emergency cash used in dire times, plus if anything really needs the emergency cash, I will contact the Mistress with the communication crystal she gave me.

I will also rebrand this newspaper into….. The Avalon Times

I have the budget set now, however, I start wondering about the intent that the Mistress has for this whole operation.

She is clearly intending to use this to manipulate the public, and I have no qualms in helping her do that. For the sake of…

My future…..